Dhaka, Oct. 24 -- South Korea has halted tours of the Joint Security Area in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, officials said Thursday, ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump to the peninsula.

Trump is expected in South Korea next Wednesday for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum, and US media has reported officials from his administration have privately discussed setting up a meeting between him and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Trump has said he hopes to meet Kim again - possibly this year - while the North Korean leader said last month he had "fond memories" of Trump and was open to talks if Washington dropped its "delusional" demand that he give up his nuclear weapons.

The two leaders ...