Dr Lee said the cancellation shows a "deep communication gap, cultural gap, and a lack of 'reading between the lines' on the part of Washington in decoding North Korea's message".

He said: "Despite being angry with the Libyan model, North Korea has been all along sending a consistent signal that it still wants a meeting with Trump. North Korea's hardline messages for the last few days have been aimed at ramping up negotiation leverage. America, as the world's superpower, took offence and Trump's ego could not take it.