• Kim Jong-un pictured smiling as he inspects missiles in North Korea
• US-South Korea military drills ramp up tensions on the Korean peninsula
• Pyongyang warns of “uncontrollable phase of nuclear war” over drills
• Donald Trump says Kim Jong-un "starting to respect us"
Wednesday August 23
1pm: Angela Merkel calls for EU and Germany to 'do more'
Angela Merkel says the EU and Germany “should do more" to find a diplomatic solution to North Korea’s standoff with the US.
The German Chancellor said that a military conflict can be avoided, but said: "We cannot simply insist on a diplomatic solution while we sit and do nothing.”
The state-approved photographs showed a diagram for a missile called "Pukguksong-3” and another that carried a "Hwasong," designation name.
Michael Duitsman, a research associate at the Center for Non-Proliferation Studies, told AP: "The Pukguksong-3 is definitely new.
During Kim Jong-un's visit to the chemical institute, he ordered more warheads and solid-fuel rocket engines for long-range ballistic missiles.
North Korea's KCNA news agency reported: “He instructed the institute to produce more solid-fuel rocket engines and rocket warhead tips by further expanding engine production process and the production capacity of rocket warhead tips and engine jets.”
Solid-fuel rockets pose a greater risk to North Korea's enemies because the missiles can be launched faster than the rest of its arsenal.
Tensions between Pyongyang and Washington have flared up again over joint US-South Korea military drills near Seoul in South Korea.
On Monday North Korea warned that Donald Trump was risking a “uncontrollable phase of nuclear war” by carrying out the drills
10am: Donald Trump claims Kim Jong-un "is starting to respect us”
Speaking at a campaign rally in Phoenix, Arizona, Donald Trump claimed that Kim Jong-un is starting to respect America.
He said: "I respect the fact that he is starting to respect us. And maybe - probably not, but maybe - something positive can come about.”
The US President has dialled down his rhetoric since early August when he vowed to unleash "fire and fury" if North Korea ever attacks US territory.
Kim Jong-un has said that he is waiting for the ‘foolish Yankees’ to make their next more before deciding whether to attack the US Pacific territory of Guam.
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