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At Least 39 Killed In Nepal Plane Crash; South Korea On The Diplomatic Front; China Clears Way For Xi To Rule For Life; U.K. National Security Council Meets In Nerve Agent Attack; White House Unveils Gun And School Safety Plan. Aired at 8-9a ET

Aired March 12, 2018 - 08:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[08:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong and welcome to News Stream.

LU STOUT: Deadly plane crash in Nepal. New details are just coming in about what went wrong at Kathmandu Airport.

And we'll speak to a witness at the scene.

Korean diplomacy, Seoul's special envoys are in China and Japan, rallying support for historic talks between the U.S. and North Korea. We have

analysis from a top U.S.-Korean expert.

And Salisbury's security, the British prime minister may hold a National Security meeting on whether Moscow is behind a nerve agent attack on a

former spy.

At least 39 people have been killed in a plane crash at an airport in Kathmandu, Nepal. Some reports say it skidded off the runway while landing

and caught fire. There were at least 71 people on board.

New Delhi Bureau Chief Nikhil Kumar is with us now and he's been following the news from Hong Kong. And, Nikhil, thank you for joining us. We have

been seeing these dramatic videos and photos of this horrific crash. What more have you learned about the crash and the aftermath?

NIKHIL KUMAR, CNN NEW DELHI BUREAU CHIEF: So, Kristie, as you said, the information is still coming through. The crash happened in the middle of

the afternoon, local time. And as you say from what we know, 71 people were on board and those four were crews, and 67 passages.

What we have learned so far, is that 39 people died, so far is the figure that we have, 23 people from what we understand are being treated in

hospital in Kathmandu. Rescue operations are still on the way.

It was a massive rescue that still continues. According to the army, 700 army personnel were involved in the rescue at this airport in Kathmandu.

And the plane as to what exactly happened, the details are still not entirely clear and what we have learned about the passengers of the vast

majority were from Nepal and Bangladesh. This was a U.S.-Bangla flight -- a Bangladeshi carrier.

And the vast majority were from the Nepal and Bangladesh. There was one Chinese national on board and one Maldivian national, and other passengers

-- we don't yet have clarity on the nationality of the crews. Kristie.

LU STOUT: Nikhil, the plane crashed 2:15 p.m. local time, the investigation has fairly started, any initial assessments on the cause and

what could have caused this crash?

KUMAR: As you say, you know, it's still not entirely clear what happened. But we got in touch with the general manager of the international airport

down in Kathmandu and from what he told us, the plane was cleared to land on the north side of the runway.

And according to the information he gave us, it instead came in from the southern side. He didn't know why that had happened. The investigations

are still underway as you say.

But that's, you know, the one piece of information that we got from the authorities on the ground. This is a very, very important airport from

Nepal. Nepal is, of course, you know remotely located.

Nonetheless, this is the only international airport in the country and it was shut for several hours. Flights are now resumed, we have been told

from the authorities.

But the investigation as you say is still underway as to what exactly happened, how did the plane come in from the wrong side and what led to

this -- to this immense tragedy. Kristie.

LU STOUT: Nikhil Kumar, reporting on this horrific plane crash, dozens of lives lost. Nikhil, we thank you for your reporting. Right now, top South

Korean diplomats are rallying allies to navigate Donald Trump excepting that face-to-face meeting with Kim Jong-un.

Now four days since the U.S. president made that decision and still, no official word from Pyongyang. Critical regional interests are at stake.

The South Korean national security advisors have been sent to Beijing to brief the Chinese President Xi Jinping.

South Korea's intelligence chief is heading to Tokyo to meet with the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. We are covering the story from all over the region

here in Asia. We got Matt Rivers in Beijing. Alexandra Field is joining us from Tokyo.

But first, let's go to Ivan Watson in Seoul. Ivan, still, no reaction from North Korea to the upcoming Trump-Kim Jong-un talks.

IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No. Let me give you some headlines from the KCNA, North Korea state news agency. They were reporting today that a

delegation of North Korean prosecutors went to Cuba, that they denounced Japan as the sworn enemy of the Korean people due to World War II era

atrocities, and they announced a new method of enriching rice, established by the Rice Institute.

But no mention whatsoever, Kristie, of the fact that President Trump announced that he would be, in principle, the first American president in

history to sit down with a North Korean leader.

[08:05:12] Now, South Korea's unification ministry spokesman was asked about this. Why aren't we hearing from the North Koreans? In fact, why

have we not heard anything about what the South Korean delegation brought from Pyongyang to Washington to lead to President Trump to announce that he

would meet with Kim Jong-un?

And the spokesperson responded saying that perhaps the North Koreans were being careful and cautious as they are trying to establish their position

in response to what could be a potentially monumental shift here on the Korean Peninsula.

The South Korean President, Moon Jae-in, he said as much in statements at a meeting with his advisors here in Seoul, he said that this could present

possibly an incredible opportunity to try to establish a lasting peace here on the Korean Peninsula.

He is urging all different parties and factions to try to put aside their differences to take advantage of what could be an incredible opportunity

here and he alluded to the fact that there's an incredible amount of work to do in the next two months.

Because, first, he is scheduled at some point in April to sit down for his own face-to-face meeting with the North Korean leader on the demilitarized

zone. And then, all we know about the potential Trump-Kim Jong-un meeting is that it should happen by May. We don't know the location or where that

could be.

But it is important that we're still not really hearing North Korea's version of events -- of events of the last week's remarkable diplomacy.

Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yet still no comment from Pyongyang on those upcoming Trump-Kim Jong-un talks, very puzzling, indeed. Ivan Watson, reporting live from

Seoul, thank you.

Now let's bring in, Alexandra Field, who is standing by in Tokyo. And, Alex, we know just how Japan's own security is at stake when we talk about

efforts to bring down tension in the region. So what does Tokyo want to see come out of the upcoming summit?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, they want to make sure that their interests are a part of this summit. They are certainly looking for

some key elements to emerge that the summit does in fact take place. You've got the national intelligence chief from South Korea who is here in

Tokyo right now.

He has met foreign minister and then he will meet with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. And what the Japanese will be seeking is the assurance that

Japan is part of the calculation here. Because you won't forget, they do in fact have this strong national security interests.

Japan has to take a hard line when it comes to dealing with North Korea. They want to see the full enforcement of sanctions because of the security

threat that North Korea poses to Japan. You've seen missiles, of course, fly over Japan in the last year.

You've seen missile also dropped down into the waters off the coast of Japan. At the same time, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe knows he needs the

thread the needle here because along he would take a hard line against North Korea.

He's got to show that he is closely aligned with the United States and his ally, U.S. President Donald Trump. To that end, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

says that he welcomes this change of position of North Korea, that it would be willing to talk on the premise of denuclearization.

But Prime Minister Abe will actually travel to Washington, D.C. to speak to President Trump about what could come of those talks. Three key issues

that Japan will be looking for if those talks do in fact happen.

First, of course, denuclearization of the Peninsula, that's the goal of all those in the region. Also though Japan is expressing concern not just

about the intercontinental ballistic missiles, which would threaten the United States, they are concerned about the short and medium range missiles

that, of course, continue to threaten Japan itself.

Beyond that, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will also likely want to talk about Japanese nationals abducted by North Korean agents back in the 70s and 80s.

He has repeatedly called for their release. He wants bring comfort to family members who were here in Japan.

It is an issue that is close to his heart when he has spoken into President Trump about many times before. So those are three of the key topics that

will likely come up when Prime Minister Abe does speak with President Trump in April. Kristie.

LU STOUT: Got it. Alexandra Field, reporting live from Tokyo, thank you. As, Alex, reported the Japanese, they want to see continued hard line

against North Korea. The Chinese, not so much historically.

Now, Matt Rivers, joins us now live from Beijing. And, Matt, when the Chinese are briefed over these upcoming summits by the South Koreans, what

are they going to be listening in and asking for?

MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we do know just a little bit about what happened between the South Korean envoy that came here to Beijing

today and President Xi Jinping. They met briefly earlier this afternoon. And we just got a readout of what happened there from state media here in

China.

And basically, it was a pretty blunt statement just saying that Xi Jinping said that he hopes to see the North-South summit and the DPRK-U.S. dialogue

take place smoothly, and result in substantive developments that lead to the denuclearization on the Peninsula, as well as the normalization of

mutual ties.

[08:10:04] Basically, in layman's terms, that is exactly what the Chinese have said for a very long time. Their consistent position for years now,

Kristie, we have talked about it before many, many times, is that they believe the only way to solve this problem is that the U.S. and North Korea

sit down in a room together and hash things out.

I don't think they expected it to happen like this. I don't think they expected it to happen so quickly and so I think on the one hand, they are

very happy about this.

They're optimistic that there could be some sort of substantive change. This could be quite a unique opportunity if the President of the United

States and the leader of North Korea actually do sit down.

That said, I think there's going to be concern here amongst government officials in Beijing, that they want a part of this negotiation. They have

a seat at this table or they want to make sure that they have a seat at the table.

They want make sure their interests are served. They know that the U.S. and South Korea, and Japan will likely be closely working together to make

sure that they're all on message, that's what you would expect to happen.

What China is oftentimes on the other side of that coin, kind of operating in its own way, so China wants to make sure that however these negotiations

play out, they have a role in that process.

LU STOUT: All right, Matt Rivers, reporting live from Beijing. And, Matt, please standby because we need to get an update from you on another top

story out of China, so just hang-on for just a moment.

For the foreseeable future, China's attitude towards North Korea is likely to continue to be shaped by this man, Chinese President Xi Jinping. Nearly

3,000 delegates around the country have voted to change China's constitution, clearing the way for President Xi to stay in power for life.

Only two delegates voted, no, to the amendments. Now Mr. Xi is already considered China's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong. Let's get back

to, Matt Rivers, in Beijing.

And, Matt, as expected China has cleared the way for Xi Jinping to rule for life. Why? Why did the government make this move? What does that mean

for China?

RIVERS: Well I think, they made this move because Xi Jinping controls the very essence of power in China and that is the upper leadership of the

Communist Party.

Yes, there were thousands of vote casts at the National People's Congress but the reality is that vote was a foregone conclusion. When the so-called

proposal was made several weeks ago, we knew that it was going to pass the calculation being within the upper leadership of the Communist Party and Xi

Jinping, himself, is that they can do this now.

You could spend all day long speculating as to the reasons why everything from political infighting, it's not a monolithic party, so perhaps Xi

Jinping feels threatened in some sense or perhaps he wants greater control in the future over China's international diplomacy.

The roll of the presidency traditionally, the person who goes abroad and meets with foreign leaders, even if the real power here in China lies at

the head of the Communist Party.

So there's a number of different reasons why the motivation for Xi Jinping existed to pursue this but the fact is, that he did it now because he had

the political capital to do so. He is the most powerful Chinese politicians since Mao Zedong.

He had his thought as it's formally known, inscribed into the Communist Party Constitution in October of last year, that means that basically, if

you criticize Xi Jinping, you are criticizing the party itself and that's not something that you can do in China. So the simple answer to your

question, Kristie, is why do it now? The most the most simple way to answer that is because, he can.

LU STOUT: Yes, as you point out, he has the political capital. He is the core of the party after all. Matt Rivers, reporting live from Beijing. As

always, thank you.

Presidential term limits in China were put in place in the early 1980s under then leader Deng Xiaoping. It was to prevent one reader from staying

in power for too long.

A lesson learned from China's role under him and Mao Zedong. Now, Victor Gao was the translator for Mr. Deng. And I asked him what the former

leader would make of the change.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VICTOR GAO, FORMER TRANSLATOR DENG XIAOPING: I would say if Deng Xiaoping were with us today, he would say, keep stability, that is the most

important thing for China and also, continue to serve in an energetic and dynamic way. And -- however, don't try to remain in office until the last

moment because by then, you will be too senile.

And you will no longer have the energy and the mental alertness to serve. So there will be a time to retire. Therefore, I think abolishing to the

two term nation, it doesn't mean lifetime service for the Chinese presidency.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Victor Gao there. Now Mr. Xi's boost in power marks yet another blow to pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong. Beijing had temp down calls

for self-determination in this semiautonomous city.

And over the weekend, Democrats only won two of four seats contested in the city's legislative council. It means they no longer have veto power.

This election was a result of Beijing's forced disqualification of six pro- democracy lawmakers, and now to Geneva, where the U.N. investigator on human rights in Myanmar has just presented her final report on the

situation there.

[08:15:00] Yanghee Lee investigated the Rohingya crisis, now in trip to Bangladesh and Thailand this past January because Myanmar would not allow

her into the country.

Well, report finds that events bear hallmarks of genocide and says that the government leadership which did nothing to stop the acts should be held

accountable. Be sure to tune in to News Stream tomorrow, Yanghee Lee will joins us to talk more about her report and the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar.

Now, you're watching News Stream. And up next, British national security officials have a meeting to discuss the never agent attack on a former

Russian spy. And just hours ago, one parliament official said, it is looking more and more like the attack was state-sponsored.

Also ahead, Syrian government troops are ramping up their offenses in a rebel heal area outside Damascus. The latest from Eastern Ghouta, after

this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong, welcome back. This is News Stream. Now, the U.K.'s National Security Council is meeting behind closed

doors right now to discus the latest on last week's poisoning of a former Russian double agent.

As Prime Minister Theresa May was chairing the meeting, her spokesman said that the country will respond if it identifies who is responsible. Before

the meeting, the chair of parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee said the attack is quote, looking awfully like it was a state-sponsored attempted

murder.

Sergei Skripal and his adult daughter remained in critical condition after being attacked with a nerve agent in the Southern English town of

Salisbury. Well, that National Security Council meeting started just about an hour ago.

CNN's senior international correspondent Nick Paton Walsh is outside 10 Downing Street for us, and he joins us now. And, Nick, how is the meeting

going? Do we know how this National Security Council is going to respond to this nerve agent attack?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: No, we don't. But certainly the nature of the victim that climbed up politically around

this particular terrifying instance, and 500 people from Salisbury who are now wondering that close and winding themselves down a week after the

incident after a recent government advice mean that it will be very difficult.

But I think the number 10 behind me, will eventually point the finger toward certainly country (ph) Russia, if not the state that runs it. They

will meet to do.

And that, of course, while slaying out a lot of evidence, we have seen very little of that so far. And I'm sure at this stage (Inaudible) inside the

British government will be exactly how much will they give away and how much they need to keep quiet in order to retain various intelligence means.

But a little we do know, gives us a grasp certainly of the timeline and a clear idea of certainly what kind of nerve agent may have been used.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALSH: We still know troublingly little a week on about what happened to Sergei and Yulia Skripal near this walkway. The police confirmed one vital

fact that transforms what we know of that afternoon around these sleepy pubs.

[08:20:04] The pair was found on a bench at 4:15. But their journey began around 1:30 when they either first entered Zizzi's pizza restaurant or the

Mill Pub, which means that they were contaminated throughout their journey that began with pizza or a drink on a Sunday and ended slumped on this

bench.

This means the nerve agent that has left father and daughter fighting for lives took possibly hours to really act. Sarin is usually delivered as a

gas and acts almost instantly as the world witnessed in the agony of Syria.

The VX as a gas is fast too, killing Kim Jong-un's half brother within 20 minutes of exposure in this Malaysian airport. Again the slower acting as

a liquid, say experts yet these two agents are well known.

AMBER RUDD, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT: This was attempted murder in the most cruel and public way.

WALSH: And Britain's top security officials said last week, the agent was a quote, very rare. A former British Army and NATO chemical weapons expert

has suggested the agent is very obviously Novichok.

Translated as newcomer, Novichok was made by the Soviets in the 70s to get around various weapons treaties and be safer to use but harder to detect,

but it also acts fast. And many will ask why such as a specific and identifiable poison was used. To frame Russia or let Moscow brag of its

omnipotence?

The name of the agent still doesn't explain why Detective Sergeant Bailey also fell gravely ill while others who got near the Skripals did not. Did

he try to resuscitate either of the Skripals at the scene?

Or did, he, as some have speculated rushed back to their home perhaps looking for medication or answers. Yet the time it took the Skripals to

succumb to the deadly poison and the trail they consequently left appears to be narrowing the focus of who could be to blame.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALSH: Now of course, the pressure on those on those behind me in number 10 here is to come up with a lucid response, to come up with answers to

those questions, how is it possible that they were to leave such a trail of contamination.

And also frankly, the attention now it beginning to turn to the timeline of what was said when by the British government. Obviously, it will be

getting great shock that such events could have occurred.

But then, between the moments in which senior police said quote, specific nerve agent has been identified and we are still talking until yesterday --

for four days later, until people who were in those two establishments, Zizzi's pizza restaurant and the Mill Pub were told to watch them up close.

So it's a sort of general scrutiny here are gathered around or exactly how that timeline developed. There is of course pressure behind me to point a

finger at who else were responsible.

And for that, they will need evidence, they will certainly need to be able to immediately justify that claim when they had the inevitable denial we

have already heard Moscow, who instantly today had certainly -- this simply not a matter for the Russian Federation at this stage. Kristie.

LU STOUT: Nick Paton Walsh, reporting live from 10 Downing Street, thank you. Now to Syria where the government is reporting major gains here in

Eastern Ghouta -- the rebel-held area outside of Damascus.

Now state-media reports that Syrian forces have captured the key town of Mesraba. Activists say the government defensive is now divided the enclave

into three parts.

Duma, the largest city has in Eastern Ghouta has also been hit by nonstop airstrikes and on totally shelling since Saturday. The region is home to

around 400,000 people.

The White House has unveiled new proposals for gun and school safety nearly a month after the deadly shooting in Parkland, Florida but there has been a

shift in positions on some key proposals. Kaitlan Collins has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Trump backing down from increasing the minimum age for purchasing certain firearms, an idea

strongly opposed by the NRA that the president repeatedly pushed for.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It doesn't make sense that I have to wait until I am 21 to get a handgun, but I can get this weapon at

18.

COLLINS: The shift coming after Mr. Trump publicly shamed Senators Toomey and Manchin for not including the measure in their gun control bill.

TRUMP: I'm just curious as to what do you did in your bill?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We didn't address it, Mr. President. Well, I think...

TRUMP: You know why? Because you're afraid of the NRA, right?

COLLINS: Instead, raising the age on gun purchases will be one of a range of issues studied by a new federal school safety commission chaired by

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

LESLEY STAHL, JOURNALIST, 60 MINUTES: Do you feel a sense of urgency?

BETSY DEVOS, U.S. EDUCATION SECRETARY: Yes.

STAHL: Because this sounds like talking.

(CROSSTALK)

DEVOS: No, there is a sense of urgency, indeed.

COLLINS: But on Saturday, President Trump mocked the concept of these types of commissions to solve problems like the opioid epidemic.

TRUMP: We can't just keep setting up blue-ribbon committees. They talk, talk, talk, talk, two hours later. Then they write a report.

COLLINS: The White House's proposal includes providing rigorous firearms training for specially qualified school personnel on a voluntary basis.

[08:25:00] DEVOS: This is one solution that can and should be considered. But no one size fits all. Every state and every community is going to

address this -- this issue in a different way.

COLLINS: The administration also supports transitioning veterans and retired law enforcement to work in schools, adopting measures to allow law

enforcement to remove firearms from threatening individuals, overhauling and reforming mental health programs, and the Cornyn-Murphy bill improving

reporting to the federal background check system.

The White House rolling out the gun proposal one day after the president's rambling and at times vulgar speech in Pennsylvania that was supposed to

focus on Republican Congressional candidate Rick Saccone. Instead, the event felt more like a campaign rally for the president where he attacked

potential 2020 challengers.

TRUMP: Can you imagine covering Bernie or Pocahontas? Pocahontas, how about that? Oh, I'd love Oprah to win. I'd love to beat Oprah. I know

her weakness. No, no, I know her weakness.

COLLINS: And they viewed this new campaign slogan.

TRUMP: Keep America great, exclamation point. Keep America great!

COLLINS: The president touting the steep tariffs he imposed last week on steel and aluminum imports and his potential summit with North Korean

dictator Kim Jong-un.

TRUMP: Who knows what's going to happen? I may leave fast, or we may sit down and make the greatest deal for the world and for all of these

countries.

COLLINS: President Trump surprising aides by suggesting that drug dealers should be executed.

TRUMP: I think it's a discussion we have to start thinking about, don't you? But I don't know if you're ready.

COLLINS: And raising eyebrows with what some Democrats call a racially charged attack on Congresswoman Maxine Waters, who has called for his

impeachment.

TRUMP: She's a low I.Q. individual. You can't help it. She really is.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And that was, Kaitlan Collins, reporting. You are watching News Stream. And still ahead, Donald Trump -- well of course, he has accepted

that meeting with Kim Jong-un, but why did North Korea extend that offer in the first place? Well, have the top North Korean expert, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: I am Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You are watching News Stream and these are your world headlines. At least 39 people have been

killed in a plane crash at an airport in Kathmandu.

Police say that there are now 23 people receiving treatment. The plane caught fire on landing. According to the airport manager, passengers are

from Nepal, Bangladesh, China and the Maldives.

China has officially ended presidential term limits, clearing the way for President Xi Jinping to stay in power for life. Nearly 3,000 delegates

from around the country voted Sunday to change China's Constitution. Only two delegates voted, no, to the amendments. British Prime Minister Theresa

May has been holding a national security meeting in the nerve agent attack on the former Russian double agent. Officials are expected to discuss

whether Moscow is involved in the attack of Sergei Skripal and his daughter. Authorities found traces of a nerve agent in a pub and restaurant

in Salisbury. Customers have been told to wash their clothes and other items.

Seoul has sent members of its top leadership to Beijing and Tokyo following news that the U.S. president accepted a a face-to-face meeting with North

Korean Leader Kim Jong-un. North Korean media has not reported the possible meeting and Pyongyang is yet to officially respond.

Despite Donald Trump agreeing to talk to Kim Jong-un, military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea are still on. Over the weekend, Trump

officials reiterated that they expect Pyongyang to halt all nuclear and missile testing ahead of the meeting, but U.S. military exercises with

South Korea will go on as planned.

The commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Admiral Scott Swift, spoke with CNN about what he expects from the drills.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT SWIFT, COMMANDER, U.S. PACIFIC FLEET: My expectation is that the exercise will unfold to a scope and scale that is about what it's been in

the past. And in the past, I would point out that the scope and scale is adjusted as well. But I suspect that the series of exercises that's

approaching, that they will be consistent with previous exercises.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Earlier, I spoke with North Korea expert John Park. He is the director of the Korea Working Group at Harvard Kennedy School. And we spoke

what's driving the talks forward.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN PARK, DIRECTOR, KOREA WORKING GROUP: Well, now, it's the whole notion of credibility and moving forward with what is very much in the minds of

the South Korean Blue House. They really hold all the pieces. They are the ones who had the direct access to Kim Jong-un.

The South Korean delegation are headed by national security adviser, Chung, and the national intelligence service director, Suh, who were the two main

protagonists here. And this comes in the aftermath of what took place in Washington with this dramatic meeting with President Trump.

But in terms of moving forward and getting all the pieces coordinated, that is a large task. We got two dates now. The first is inter-Korean summit

which will happen in late April and then the meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong-un in May.

LU STOUT (on camera): They have to coordinate all the pieces. They have to bring all the players on board including China. Is China on board when it

comes to the issue of pressure? Do you think it is starting to believe that, yes, more pressure works in regard to North Korea?

PARK: I think now it's the bigger focus on the diplomatic offer. Last year, China put a lot of emphasis in something called the "dual freeze."

North Korea will freeze its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile testings. In return, the U.S. and South Korea will freeze military exercises.

And then in respect to Pyeongchang Winter Olympics (INAUDIBLE) double freeze. So going forward in that respect, I think it's in the China's

interest to see this type of freeze-type of situation continue. But what this manifests into, that's a big part about the game plan in process, and

we have little details of it at this particular point in time.

LU STOUT (voice over): Yes.

PARK: I think the area of concern for a lot of colleagues is this area that the summit usually comes at the very end of a process. If there were

denuclearization, normalization of relations, verification of full denuclearization on North Korean side, and then you get a summit.

And so the fact to have it front-loaded is a source of concern in the sense that we don't see evidence or the pieces of the game plan.

LU STOUT (on camera): Do you think Kim Jong-un sees it's a win? The meeting is a concession? He won?

PARK: Well, in terms of the rapidity in which this happen, I think there is a source of surprise and even for the North Korean side, what anyone

would imagine. The details are coming out in terms of this meeting that took place with national security advisor, Chung, and President Trump in

the Oval Office.

And how quickly it took place is really breathtaking. So, this is an air of alliteration. I think one way to view it is that it was shocking and

stunning. And with that, I think this idea of trying to ground back to reality and see what the next steps hold in store, in many respects we are

seeing a retroactive development of a game plan.

There has been initial discussion of conditions. There has been a dialing back of that by other officials in the White House. You get to see post,

you know, decision to do the summit, this idea now what will the game plan look like.

LU STOUT (on camera): Does the Trump administration need a special envoy to get ready for these talks and who should that person be?

PARK: Sure. My senior colleagues have been calling for the appointment of a senior presidential envoy. In terms of candidates, there is the

inclination to designate the general, but I think here also there is call for the idea of Korea expert, can navigate all the nuances of this very

complex.

In many respect, legacy type of issues that remain with us, but that remains to be seen. But that I think would be a first very positive signal

and building around the team and as I mentioned the development of a process and a game plan.

LU STOUT (on camera): And Kim Jong-un, why did he offer this face-to-face talks with Donald Trump? There are a lot of different theories out there.

[08:35:00] Some people believe he is desperate. Others believe he is confident. Your thoughts.

PARK: That is a big source of debate. Is this coming from a place of desperation or confidence? It looks like it is coming from a place of

opportunity. Assuming there are risks, but this is about risk management. And I think in terms of a meeting that took place with the South Korean

delegation, some of that risks look like it were managed and mitigated.

Right now, we have to give this with, I think, the greatest caution in the sense that we still have not received official word from the North Korean

side about any of the details that have been discussed and conveyed by the South Korean side to the U.S. side.

So I think there are some prerequisites that we need to see confirmed here, but there is a sense of hope that this could be turned into larger process.

LU STOUT (on camera): And at the core of these talks, the issue of denuclearization. At the end of the day, is Kim Jong-un willing to give up

his arsenal?

PARK: That's a big questions. I think the idea of a process of denuclearization where there would be some aspects of measured movements by

both sides, building up this trust, it is the similar type of discussion that we've heard in the past.

One thing that's interesting is discussion about what could be a concrete action leading up to the May summit. It may be afterward. Interestingly in

June, we will hit the 10th anniversary of the demolition of the cooling tower at the Yongbyon nuclear complex in North Korea. That was an important

part of something called "nuclear disablement" as the six-party talks were going on.

If we see some revisiting of nuclear disablement, that would be physical destruction of the elements of the North Korean nuclear complex. I think

visually, that would be an important step of showing commitment and seriousness here. But unless we hear more about this kind of details,

again, it will sound like commitments on paper, but we need to see what will eventually be carried here.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Top North Korean expert John Park there. Now, Russia has been showing the world that it's a military power to be reckoned with and it

says it is test to the so-called invincible missile. It comes just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the country still has the

greatest nuclear potential in the world. Michael Holmes has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Russia's defense ministry says it has successfully tested an advanced hypersonic missile. It's one of

the invincible strategic nuclear-powered missile with unlimited range that Russian president Vladimir Putin revealed during his annual address to

parliament, claiming they will render NATO defenses completely useless.

In a statement, the defense ministry said, quote, a MiG-31 fighter crew of the Russian Aerospace Forces conducted a combat training launch of a

hypersonic missile of the Kinzhal high-precision air missile system in the designated area, unquote.

According to the ministry, the missile designed to eliminate ground and sea targets hit the designated target and confirmed the operational performance

of the missile system. The video released by the ministry shows a jet carrying the missile, some parts of the missile blurred.

The United States and military experts have repeatedly downplayed Russia's claims of developing such weapons, calling it "Putin election rhetoric."

U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis said Sunday that those capabilities are, quote, still years away.

JAMES MATTIS, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: I saw no change to the Russian military capability. And each of these systems he's talking about

that are still years away, I do not see them changing the military balance. They do not impact any need on our side for a change in our deterrent

posture.

HOLMES (voice over): While Putin's boasting about Russia's resurgent military might have been intended to strengthen his role as a strong leader

at home and on the world stage, Mattis believes the show of force is still against Russia's own interest.

MATTIS: Let me talk about the end state, how many years away they are, how much money they want to put into this arms race that they're creating with

themselves. At the end of the day, they can sink all that money in. It does not change my strategic calculation. I just assumed it would all happen at

great expense to the Russian people.

HOLMES (voice over): Michael Holmes, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And we do have an update on a plane crash. A new report in Kathmandu, Nepal. Police now reports that sadly the death toll is on the

rise. At least 49 people now were killed. There are 22 people in hospital currently receiving treatment.

The plane caught fire on landing. According to the airport manager, passengers were from Nepal, Bangladesh, China, and the Maldives. Do stay

with us for the very latest. We'll be right back after this.

[08:40:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: We've already (INAUDIBLE) here in Hong Kong. Welcome back. You're watching "News Stream."

Now, a quick reminder, this week, CNN is leading a day of action against modern-day slavery. The (INAUDIBLE) event, it takes place March 14th. We

are asking everyone the question, what freedom means to you? Here is a group with the A21 Campaign in London. It's a non-profit that has teamed up

with CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi. My name is Millie (ph). I'm from Manchester. Freedom is important to me. I believe everybody has a right to live their

life with dignity and choice.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi. I'm (INAUDIBLE). I'm from London. Freedom is important to me because I believe that everybody has the right to freedom

of choice, speech, and freedom to birth (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My name is Shiyang (ph) and I'm from London. Freedom is important to me because I believe that (INAUDIBLE) to go out on a Friday

night and go to dinner and enjoy the time with your friends. So, join me on March 14th for my freedom day and let's make a change together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: All great responses and get involved. Let us know what freedom means to you. Share your story, your thoughts using the hashtag, my freedom

day.

The HBO series "Westworld" is known for its hopeful story lines, but the showrunner Jonathan Nolan wanted inspiration at his panel at the South by

Southwest festival in Texas, so he planned a plot twist.

And Elon Musk's surprise. The Tesla and SpaceX founder had words of motivation for the next generation of innovators.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELON MUSK, FOUNDER, TESLA AND SPACEX: Life cannot just be about solving one miserable problem after another. That can't be the only thing. There

needs to be things that inspire you, that make you glad to wake up in the morning and be part of humanity.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: And that is why Musk says he launched SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket. Musk (INAUDIBLE) highlights of the launch of the panel reminding

people of the rocket that carried -- yes, that red Tesla roadster into space. Musk also said that SpaceX should be ready to fly a rocket to Mars

next year, but admitted that time line is optimistic.

And that is "News Stream." I'm Kristie Lu Stout. Don't go anywhere. "World Sport" with Rhiannon Jones is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:45:00] (WORLD SPORT)

END