Kim Jong Un meets with Singapore's prime minister after journeying to the city-state for historic summit

  • North Korean leader Kim Jong Un landed in Singapore on Sunday, and then met with the city-state's prime minister.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday, June 10, 2018, in Singapore.
Wong Maye-E | AP Photo
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday, June 10, 2018, in Singapore.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un landed in Singapore on Sunday, and then met with the city-state's prime minister.

The leader of the rogue nation is in the island nation ahead of a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump that could end a nuclear stand-off between the old foes and transform his impoverished country.

Kim arrived in a Air China 747 that touched down at Changi Airport, Singapore's Straits Times reported. Singapore's foreign minister posted a photo of Kim's arrival in a message on Twitter.

The North Korean leader is expected to stay at the St. Regis hotel during his time in the island nation.

Only hours after arriving, Kim met with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

"The entire world is focusing on the historic summit between the DPRK and the U.S., and thanks to your sincere efforts ... we were able to complete the preparations for the historic summit, and I would like to thank you for that," Kim told Lee through an interpreter, according to a report from local news outlet Channel News Asia.

Trump, meanwhile, will meet with Lee on Monday. He arrived in Singapore on Sunday evening, and will be staying at the Shangri-La Hotel during his time in the country, according to the White House.

Kim is tentatively scheduled to depart Singapore at 2 p.m. local time on Tuesday, a source who is involved in the planning of his visit to the city-state told Reuters on Sunday. That would be just five hours after he is scheduled to begin meeting with Trump.

—Reuters contributed to this report.