Trump speaks with Abe over phone on DPRK, UN meeting: White House

WASHINGTON -- The White House said on Wednesday that US President Donald Trump earlier in the morning had spoken with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over phone about the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and their meeting at the upcoming UN General Assembly.

White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders said in a press briefing that Trump and Abe said during their conversation that they committed to maintaining strong sanctions on the DPRK.

The two leaders said they look forward to seeing each other at the UN meeting and will "continue these important conversations with allies."

US Department of the Treasury on Tuesday sanctioned two entities and six vessels for violating the UN and US sanctions on the DPRK, accusing them of involvement in ship-to-ship transfer of refined petroleum products with DPRK-flagged vessels, an activity prohibited by the UN Security Council.

"Consequences for violating these sanctions will remain in place" until the final and fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK is achieved, said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

The actions came after Trump said on Monday that he would "most likely" meet with the top leader of the DPRK, Kim Jong Un.

He also said that he believes Pyongyang had taken specific steps toward denuclearization.

In the joint statement after the June 12 Trump-Kim meeting in Singapore, Trump committed to provide security guarantees to the DPRK, while Kim reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to a complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The two leaders also agreed to commit to establish new US-DPRK relations, and to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the peninsula.