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Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump arrive in Singapore ahead of historic summit

Both US President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have arrived in Singapore ...
Newstalk
Newstalk

10.44 10 Jun 2018


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Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump a...

Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump arrive in Singapore ahead of historic summit

Newstalk
Newstalk

10.44 10 Jun 2018


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Both US President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have arrived in Singapore ahead of their historic summit on Tuesday.

President Trump arrived on Sunday evening local time, having travelled directly from the G7 summit in Canada.

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Earlier in the day, Singapore's Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan greeted Mr Kim as he arrived in the city state:

Photos showed Mr Kim being taken to his hotel by motorcade following his arrival.

He later met with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the nation's presidential palace.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Picture by: Wong Maye-E/AP/Press Association Images

Speaking as he departed the G7 gathering in Quebec, President Trump said he was on a "mission of peace" - although stressed that the Singapore summit is a "one-time shot".

He told reporters: "It’s unknown territory, in the truest sense. But I really feel confident.

"I feel that Kim Jong Un wants to do something great for his people, and he has that opportunity. And he won’t have that opportunity again."

US officials will be pressing for North Korea to commit to denuclearisation, with the secretive state likely to be looking for an easing of economic sanctions and improved relations with world powers after decades of hostility.

Summit

Donald Trump arrives in Singapore. Picture by: Evan Vucci/AP/Press Association Images

Tuesday's summit will take place at a hotel on the small tourist resort island of Sentosa, which is connected to the main city by a single bridge.

Today's arrival of the two leaders in the same country comes after weeks of uncertainty over whether the summit would actually go ahead.

President Trump last month called off the summit after North Korea warned of a "nuclear showdown" and called US Vice President Mike Pence "ignorant" and "stupid".

The North Korean regime appeared to be objecting to Mr Pence's suggestion the North may end up like Libya "if Kim Jong Un doesn't make a deal" and relinquish its nuclear weapons programme.

Libya's ex-leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed in an uprising years after giving up atomic weapons in exchange for the easing of sanctions.

However, it was confirmed the meeting was back on after a flurry of diplomatic activity - culminating in senior North Korean official Kim Yong Chol visiting the White House last week to personally deliver a letter from Kim Jong Un.


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