Donald Trump this week appeared to hold out the prospect of talks with North Korea in a bid to avert World War 3.
The US President had previously threatened Kim Jong-un’s regime with “fire and fury” over its missile launches.
But Seoul’s Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam said today attempts to make contact with its fiery neighbour had proved unsuccessful so far, according to the Yonhap news agency.
He said: “Exchanges and contact are regularly ongoing between the U.S. and North Korea through a New York channel and there’s also a variety of contact.
“However there’s no detailed progress to note.”
But despite little progress with diplomacy, the minister did concede there had been no new missile launches since September 15.
He said: “It could be assessed that US efforts and approach toward North Korea are producing a degree of results.”
During his Asia tour this week, Mr Trump said he thought there was “movement” on direct talks with the hermit kingdom.
He said: “I really believe that it makes sense for North Korea to come to the table and to make a deal that’s good for the people of North Korea and the people of the world.”
Today, Japan announced it would send a huge helicopter carrier, the largest warship in its fleet, along with two escorts to join three US carriers for exercises near the Korean peninsula.
The Japanese ships Ise, Inazuma and Makinami will sail with the USS Ronald Reagan, USS Nimitz and USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Sea of Japan and East China Sea on Sunday.
It is the first time three American carriers have trained together in a decade.
The show of force comes as Mr Trump meets with regional leaders at an Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Vietnam.
The US President is on a 12-day tour of Asia and has already made stops in Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing.
His administration has demanded that North Korea halt ballistic missile and nuclear tests.
The naval exercise is see as a US show of power, reminding Pyongyang of its ability to rapidly mobilise military force.
The 100,000-tonne US carriers carry a combined force of around 200 aircraft including F-18 strike fighters.