Kim, Trump launch into battle of buttons

◗ Kim ordered the reopening of the hotline at the truce village of Panmunjom on Wednesday. Officials on both sides conducted a conversation for about 20 minutes. I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his...

Seoul, Jan. 3: North Korea reopened a long- closed hotline with South Korea on Wednesday, hours after US President Donald Trump said that he has a “bigger and more powerful” nuclear button than Kim Jong Un.

The North’s decision to open the border phone line came a day after South Korea proposed high- level discussions amid a tense standoff over North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs.

That followed Kim’s New Year address in which he said he would consider sending a delegation to the Winter Olympics to be held just across the border in Pyeongchang in February. The Koreas, divided by a Demilitarised Zone since the end of the 1950- 53 War, last held high- level talks in 2015. US officials said Washington would not take any talks between North and South Korea seriously if they did not contribute to denuclearising North Korea. Kim ordered the reopening of the hotline at the truce village of Panmunjom at 0630 GMT on Wednesday. Officials on both sides were checking the line and conducting a conversation for about 20 minutes, the contents of which were not disclosed.

The gesture came just hours after Trump ridiculed the North Korean leader on Twitter. “Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!” Trump tweeted.

— Donald Trump

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