Trump-Kim Singapore Summit LIVE: US President, North Korea leader begin one-on-one meeting
The historic meeting between United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has begun in Singaopore' elusive Sentosa Island. The first-ever meeting between a US president and a North Korean leader kicked off with a handshake, an image sure to be devoured from Washington to Pyongyang and beyond. Trump and Kim planned to meet one-on-one for most of an hour— joined only by translators. Then aides to each were to come in for more discussions and a working lunch.
The Goal: The US aim for the summit is to persuade North Korea for complete denuclearisation and accepting international scrutiny. But US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has sought to keep expectations for the summit in check. “We are hopeful this summit will have set the conditions for future successful talks,” Pompeo said on Saturday.
It is a far cry from what Trump had outlines days ago. In the run-up to the talks, Trump had hopefully predicted the two men might strike a nuclear deal or forge a formal end to the Korean War in the course of a single meeting or over several days. However, on the eve of the summit, White House unexpectedly announced Trump would depart Singapore by Tuesday evening, meaning his time with Kim would be fairly brief.
Here are the LIVE Updates:
Watch live coverage of trump-Kim Singapore Summit on India TV:
07:06 am: South Korea must be a crucial participant of any talks between North Korea and the US as it is the main regional player and has a lot to lose or gain from the talks: RP Kaushik, former diplomat to India TV
07:04 am: India TV Correspondent Amit Palit reports from Singapore: There is an air of skepticism about the today's deal among international media as the US has the history of break the Iran nuclear deal
06:45 am: President Donald Trump is predicting that he and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will have “a terrific relationship” as they meet face to face for the first time. Trump said Tuesday after meeting Kim that he’s feeling “really great.” He says, “We’re going to have a great discussion and a terrific relationship.”
Kim says through an interpreter that it “was not easy to get here” and that there “were obstacles but we overcame them to be here.”
The two men are expected to meet on their own for the better part of an hour, with only a pair of interpreters in the room. That decision has raised concerns about the risk of holding such a monumental meeting with barely anyone to bear witness.
06:40 am: The historic meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un begins.
In this image made from video provided by Host Broadcaster Mediacorp Pte Ltd, US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shake hands ahead of their meeting at Capella Hotel in Singapore, Tuesday, June 12, 2018.
06:37 am: India TV Correspondent Amit Palit reports from Singapore: The White House press release from last night has revealed that most of the agreements have been hemmed, today's meeting will mostly be about signing the dotted line.
06:35 am: US President, North Korea leader shake hands before one-on-one meeting
06:30 am: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un steps out of limousine at venue for summit with President Donald Trump.
Kim Jong Un's convoy arrives on island
06:17 am: The convoys of both US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have arrived at Sentosa Island for the meeting. The two men are expected to share a handshake before they meet alone with a pair of interpreters for roughly 45 minutes while their entourages wait nearby.
06:00 am: Kim Jong Un's convoy arrives on island where North Korean leader will meet Donald Trump in summit.
05:50 am: Kim Jong Un's convoy leaves hotel for Singapore resort on Sentosa Island where the North Korean leader is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump, reports AP
The motorcade transporting North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un sets off for Sentosa island pic.twitter.com/3Dur0a070O
— AFP news agency (@AFP) June 12, 2018
05:48 am: Trump arrives at summit site on Singapore's Sentosa Island for historic meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, reports AP
05:41 am: Trump leaves hotel for historic summit with Kim, reports AFP
The motorcade transporting US President Donald Trump sets off for Sentosa, the resort island where Trump is scheduled to meet with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un pic.twitter.com/vuCnVo2nLq
— AFP news agency (@AFP) June 12, 2018
05:30 am: US president Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to meet at 6:30 am IST today
05:00 am: Defence Secretary Jim Mattis says the US has picked up no indications that North Korea’s military is in a heightened state of alert in the run-up to the Singapore summit. Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon on Monday that “All’s quiet” in North Korea. Mattis is declining to discuss his expectations for President Donald Trump’s meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
He says he does not expect it to include a negotiation over reducing the number of US troops in South Korea — currently about 28,000. He says that, at least initially, this is a matter between Washington and Seoul.
03:34 am: US President Donald Trump tweets: The fact that I am having a meeting is a major loss for the US, say the haters & losers. We have our hostages, testing, research and all missle launches have stoped, and these pundits, who have called me wrong from the beginning, have nothing else they can say! We will be fine!
(With inputs from agecies)