US-North Korea summit may be back on

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis said on Friday that a recently scrapped summit between the leaders of the United States and North Korea may still take place if diplomats can pull it off.

?We have got some possibly some good news on the Korea summit, where it may, if our diplomats can pull it off, may have it back on,? Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon before a meeting with the Danish defense minister.

Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan said on Friday that a summit between the United States and North Korea was necessary to ensure security on the Korean Peninsula.

Speaking at forum in St Petersburg, Wang said security on the Korean peninsula touched on China?s core interests and that conflict should be avoided at all costs.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday called off the historic summit for next month, citing Pyongyang?s ?open hostility.?