Donald Trump Delays Secretary Of State's North Korea Trip

South Korea has described Donald Trump's decision to call off a trip by his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to North Korea as "unfortunate", but said it is most important for the allies to pursue "substantial progress" on denuclearisation.

The statement by the Foreign Ministry in Seoul came hours after the US president ordered Mr Pompeo to delay his trip because of what he sees as a lack of progress on nuclear disarmament talks with the North.

The ministry said South Korean foreign minister Kang Kyung-hwa spoke with Mr Pompeo over the phone and they pledged joint efforts to keep the momentum of dialogue alive.

Mr Trump also accused China for its supposed lack of support in US-led diplomatic efforts to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons and missiles.

But China hit back, with its Foreign Ministry saying on its website: "The US statement violates basic facts and is irresponsible."

It also said it is "seriously concerned about it" and has made "solemn representations to the US side".

The surprise announcement appeared to mark a concession by the president to domestic and international concerns that his prior claims of world-altering progress on the peninsula had been strikingly premature.

"I have asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo not to go to North Korea, at this time, because I feel we are not making sufficient progress with respect to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," president Trump tweeted, barely two months after his June meeting with the North's Kim Jong Un in Singapore.

President Trump's comment followed a report issued on Monday by the International Atomic Energy Agency outlining "grave concern" about the North's nuclear programme.

It came a day after Mr Pompeo appointed Stephen Biegun, a senior executive with Ford, to be his special envoy for North Korea and said he and Mr Biegun would visit next week.

The State Department never confirmed details of the trip, but it had been expected that Mr Pompeo would be in Pyongyang for at least several hours on Monday, according to several diplomatic sources.

White House officials did not immediately comment on what prompted President Trump to call off Mr Pompeo's trip. The State Department had no immediate comment on the matter and referred questions to the White House.

President Trump laid unspecified blame on China, North Korea's leading trade partner, which is widely believed to hold the greatest sway over Mr Kim's government.

The US and China have been locked in a trade dispute for months, with each side ratcheting up tariffs on imports from the other country in what may be the opening salvos of a trade war.

President Trump tweeted that "Pompeo looks forward to going to North Korea in the near future, most likely after our Trading relationship with China is resolved." He added:

"In the meantime I would like to send my warmest regards and respect to Chairman Kim. I look forward to seeing him soon!"