The 30-minute call comes as Lee, a liberal from South Korea's Democratic Party, seeks to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula. North-South relations are at their most strained in decades amid Kim's frequent ballistic missile tests and North Korean troop deployments to support Russia's war against Ukraine.

Ukraine intelligence confirms Russia enhanced North Korean missiles to deadly accuracy while Pyongyang supplies troops and weapons, raising nuclear concerns.

North Korea has moved a new warship damaged in a botched launch to a port near the Russian border, a move analysts say could point to a role for Moscow in repairing the vessel.

North Koreans are "not interested" in entering the country, according to a commentary published by state media.

President Donald Trump would welcome communications with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after having had friendly relations with Kim during his first term, the White House said on Wednesday.

China has traditionally viewed North Korea as a security buffer and an ideologically aligned neighbor it can dominate.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is reportedly escalating his nation's capacity to manufacture more nuclear weapons amid growing WW3 concerns. Experts analyzing recent satellite imagery have identified the construction of a new enrichment facility at North Korea's primary Yongbyon nuclear complex.

Shigeru Ishiba, the prime minister of Japan, will urge the G7 to confront North Korea's crypto theft activities.