US President Donald Trump and President of North Korea Kim Jong Un met in Singapore on Tuesday, becoming the first sitting leaders of their respective countries to meet in person.
Following the talks that lasted almost five hours, the leaders signed a document whose details have not been officially unveiled. However, the photographs of the deal indicate the leaders agreed to “work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” and the establishment of “new US-DPRK relations.”
Photographs of the document signed by Trump and Kim indicate the leaders agreed to "work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula" https://t.co/u4m8VitwED #TrumpKimSummit pic.twitter.com/tisysiTaS1
— CNN (@CNN) June 12, 2018
Speaking to reporters after their first handshake, President Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un expressed optimism that the summit would be a success.
The North Korean leader told reporters through a translator that there were a number of “obstacles” to the meeting taking place in Singapore Tuesday. “We overcame all of them and we are here today,” he said.
.@POTUS Donald J. Trump meets North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore. #SingaporeSummit pic.twitter.com/CWhiLO4dAa
— Department of State (@StateDept) June 12, 2018
After leaving the first session of their summit, Trump told waiting reporters the meeting had been “very, very good.”
“Excellent relationship,” he said from the balcony of the Capella Hotel.
They were in their personal meeting for about 35 minutes and then proceeded to start further meetings with advisers at 10 a.m. local time.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did not answer when asked whether he would give up his nuclear weapons.
However, President Trump predicted he would work with Kim to resolve differences over North Korea’s nuclear program.
“Working together we’ll get it taken care of,” Trump said at the start of an expanded meeting. He said the two leaders “will solve a big problem, a big dilemma.”
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has praised Tuesday’s meeting between Kim Jong Un and US President Trump, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry.
Wang said he hoped the summit would help “clear interferences, establish mutual trust and overcome difficulties so that they will reach a basic consensus on, and take concrete steps toward, the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said it was “a sleepless night” for him ahead of meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong Un on Tuesday.
Speaking ahead of a cabinet meeting, Moon said he hoped the summit would be a success so a “new chapter” could open.
