Japan warns of North Korea election meddling in United States

Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Japan's national intelligence agency issued a warning regarding potential North Korea interference in the 2020 U.S. presidential election and South Korea's parliamentary election next year.

Tokyo's Public Security Intelligence Agency said in its forecast for 2020 North Korea could attempt to use divided domestic politics in the United States and South Korea to eventually gain advantage in negotiations, South Korean news service News 1 reported Friday.

The Japanese agency stated the future of U.S.-North Korea negotiations remain "uncertain" despite the informal encounter in June between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un at the border village of Panmunjom.

PISA said in its report North Korea is not likely to "yield first," and more aggressive provocations including a nuclear test or a test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile cannot be ruled out.

Talks between Kim and Trump broke down in February, when the North Korean side requested sanctions relief ahead of denuclearization.

North Korea's demand for the lifting of sanctions is receiving support from China and Russia, permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

On Dec. 16 the two countries filed a draft resolution that proposed some exemptions, including lifting a ban on inter-Korea railroad cooperation.

The proposal was mentioned in Seoul on Friday, Yonhap reported.

"The government has taken note of the sanctions-easing resolution China and Russia submitted to the U.N. Security Council," said South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul. "We need to find various creative alternatives."'

North Korea has pledged to develop the economy since the Seventh Korean Workers' Party Congress in May 2016, when it presented a five-year plan for development.

The plan's deadline is 2020. Analysts expect the regime to complete its resorts in Wonsan and Samjiyon counties.

North Korea may be struggling with environmental problems, however.

The regime has requested U.N. funding to address climate change; the U.N. Green Climate Fund has approved $752,000 in funding for Pyongyang, according to Yonhap on Friday.