US President Donald Trump has called off a planned summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, even after North Korea followed through on a pledge to blow up tunnels at its nuclear test site.
Referring to a scheduled 12 June meeting with Mr Kim in Singapore, Mr Trump said in a letter to the North Korean leader: "Sadly, based on the tremendous anger and open hostility displayed in your most recent statement, I feel it would be inappropriate, at this time, to have this long-planned meeting."
Mr Trump called it "a missed opportunity" and said someday he still hoped to meet Mr Kim.
Earlier today, North Korea repeated a threat to pullout of the unprecedented summit with Mr Trump next month and warned it was prepared for a nuclear showdown with Washington if necessary.
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In a statement released by North Korean media, Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui had called US Vice President Mike Pence a "political dummy" for comparing North Korea - a "nuclear weapons state" - to Libya, where Muammar Gaddafi gave up his unfinished nuclear development programme, only to be later killed by NATO-backed fighters.
A White House official has said condemnation of Mr Pence was the "last straw" that led to the cancellation of the meeting.
A small group of international media selected by North Korea witnessed the demolition of tunnels at the Punggye-ri site today, which Pyongyang said is proof of its commitment to end nuclear testing.
The apparent destruction of what North Korea says is its only nuclear test site has been widely welcomed as a positive, if largely symbolic, step toward resolving tension over its weapons.
North Korean leader Kim has declared his nuclear force complete, amid speculation the site was obsolete anyway.
Guterres expresses 'deep concern' over meeting cancellation
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced deep disappointment today at the cancellation of the planned meeting.
In remarks delivered at the University of Geneva, Mr Guterres said: "I am deeply concerned by the cancellation of the planned meeting in Singapore between the president of the United States and the leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea."
He urged the parties to continue their dialogue so as to "find a path to the peaceful and verifiable denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula".
French President Emmanuel Macron said he hoped the United States and North Korea would continue working towards denuclearising the Korean peninsula.
Speaking in a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg, Mr Macron said he hoped Mr Trump's move "was just a glitch in a process that should be continued".
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said this afternoon that Pyongyang had not responded in recent days to queries by the US as it tried to prepare logistics for the summit.
"We've not been able to conduct the preparations between our two teams that would be necessary to have a successful summit," Mr Pompeo told a US Senate hearing, adding that Pyongyang's recent statements were regrettable.
Mr Pompeo said he did not think the summit's cancellation was a sign that Mr Kim is a "weak leader".
He told the committee: "In fact he has demonstrated enormous capacity to lead his country and his team."
