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Trump announces date for June summit with Kim Jong-un in Singapore Trump confirms face-to-face talks with Kim Jong-un in Singapore in June
(about 3 hours later)
Donald Trump disclosed on Thursday that his nuclear summit with Kim Jong-un will take place on 12 June in Singapore. Donald Trump will come face to face with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore on 12 June, the US president announced on Thursday.
CNN first reported on Wednesday that Singapore had been chosen as the venue for the first summit between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader. The summit – a first between a sitting US president and his North Korean counterpart – will be the stage for critical talks aimed at curbing North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme.
Trump announced the details on Twitter on Thursday morning: “The highly anticipated meeting between Kim Jong-un and myself will take place in Singapore on June 12th. We will both try to make it a very special moment for World Peace!” Trump announced the details on Twitter by writing: “The highly anticipated meeting between Kim Jong-un and myself will take place in Singapore on June 12th. We will both try to make it a very special moment for World Peace!”
The announcement came hours after Trump welcomed the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, back to the US from Pyongyang with three US citizens that North Korea had been holding prisoner. Their release followed talks between Pompeo and Kim about the forthcoming summit, and Trump welcomed them home when they landed overnight at Andrews air force base outside Washington. The decision ended weeks of speculation about possible venues for the summit. Trump himself had floated the idea of Singapore or the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, where Kim last month met South Korean president Moon Jae-in.
The official North Korean media quoted Kim on Wednesday as saying the encounter with Trump “would be a historic meeting” and an “excellent first step toward promotion of the positive situation development in the Korean peninsula and building a good future”. Kim said he released the three Americans after an “official suggestion” from Trump. The announcement came hours after Trump welcomed Mike Pompeo back to the US from Pyongyang with three America citizens whom North Korea had been holding prisoner for more than a year. Their release followed talks between Pompeo, the new secretary of state, and Kim about the forthcoming meeting.
Pompeo has described US objectives for the summit as the immediate “permanent, verifiable irreversible dismantling of North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction program”. It is far from clear that is an outcome acceptable to the Pyongyang regime which has taken decades to develop nuclear warheads and the missiles to deliver them. Speaking to reporters at Andrews air force base outside Washington in the early hours of Thursday, Trump said: “The fact we were able to get them out so soon was a tribute to a lot of things. I just want to say, this is a special night. I’m very honoured to have helped these great folks, but the true honour is going to be if we have a victory in getting rid of nuclear weapons.”
On the flight back from North Korea, Pompeo told reporters that the location and time of the summit had been agreed, but said details would be forthcoming in the next few days. Asked if he had spoken to Kim, the president replied: “I don’t want to comment.”
“Now that part is behind us for sure, and we had a chance to talk substantively about what we intend to be on the agenda, and also how we’re going to begin to coordinate in the days ahead between now and the summit in a way that we – both sides are confident that we will set the conditions for a successful meeting between the two leaders,” the secretary of state said. He could also not resist quipping: “I think you probably broke the all-time in history television rating for 3 o’clock in the morning.”
The choice of venue could not be confirmed independently, but Singapore was one of the possible sites mentioned by Trump, who had ruled out a meeting in the demilitarised zone between the two Koreas. Official North Korean media quoted Kim on Wednesday as saying the encounter with Trump “would be a historic meeting” and an “excellent first step toward promotion of the positive situation development in the Korean peninsula and building a good future”.
Singapore was favoured by US officials because of its neutrality and infrastructure. Kim said he released the three Americans – Kim Dong Chul, Tony Kim, and Kim Hak-song, who appeared to be in good physical condition – after an “official suggestion” from Trump.
“Singapore wasn’t my first choice for the North Korea summit location. But Singapore is a very valued US partner and a remarkable city-state that punches many times above its weight. This is a good choice,” said Mintaro Oba, a former state department official who worked on Korean negotiations. Pompeo has described US objectives for the summit as the immediate “permanent, verifiable irreversible dismantling of North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction programme”. It is far from clear that is an outcome acceptable to the Pyongyang regime, which has taken decades to develop nuclear warheads and the missiles to deliver them.
Speaking to reporters at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Trump was asked if he deserves the Nobel peace prize. The president replied: “Everyone thinks so, but I would never say it.” He also finally ruled out the demilitarized zone as the location of the summit.
Singapore is seen as a safe alternative. The island nation, a financial hub with a population of 5.6 million, has long been seen as a gateway between east and west. It is favoured by US officials because of its security, infrastructure and proven record of hosting international summits. It also the ability to impose strict crowd control.
Singapore was the location in 2015 for a historic meeting between China’s president Xi Jinping and then Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou.
It also has a rare claim neutrality. It is a US ally but hosts a North Korean embassy and has a long history of cooperation with Pyongyang.
Mintaro Oba, a former state department official who worked on Korean negotiations, said: “Singapore wasn’t my first choice for the North Korea summit location. But Singapore is a very valued US partner and a remarkable city-state that punches many times above its weight. This is a good choice.”
It will be a rare foray for Kim outside North Korea. Since becoming leader, he has visited China twice and stepped across the border into South Korea during last month’s meeting with Moon.
On Wednesday, Trump discussed the upcoming summit with Japan’s prime minister Shinzo Abe, the White House said. The leaders “committed to maintaining trilateral cooperation with the Republic of Korea, and also affirmed the shared goal of North Korea abandoning its illicit weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs,” a statement added.
In Washington, politicians welcomed the latest development but struck a note of caution. The Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said: “The United States is committed to the permanent, verifiable, irreversible dismantling of North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction programme. I share that goal, and if it proves unachievable through these talks, I support a continuation of the policy of maximum pressure on the regime.”
Kim Jong-unKim Jong-un
Donald TrumpDonald Trump
SingaporeSingapore
North KoreaNorth Korea
Asia PacificAsia Pacific
US foreign policy
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