U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un react at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island in Singapore June 12, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who have come together in a historic summit in Singapore, will attempt to mend ties over a working lunch on Tuesday. It is just another day at the office for the two leaders, who will be served beef short ribs, sweet and sour crispy pork, and braised codfish, according to details released by the White House. Top officials from both administrations will also join them for the meal, which, literally and symbolically, brings together flavours of the East and West.
Also on the menu today is a prawn cocktail and avocado salad, and a south Asian green mango kerabu with honey lime dressing and octopus apart from “oiseon”, a Korean dish of stuffed cucumber.
For the main course, there will be an option of beef short rib confit, served with potato dauphinois — a French dish — and steamed broccoli; sweet and sour crispy pork and fried rice with an “XO” chilli sauce and “daegu jorim”, a Korean dish which is a soy braised cod fish with radish and Asian vegetables.
For dessert, they will have a choice of dark chocolate tartlet ganache, Haagen Daaz vanilla ice cream with cherry coulis and tropezienne, a cream-filled pastry.
Singapore, which was chosen as a “neutral” destination by the two countries, is known to be efficient for hosting major international events. That said, it has ensured that even the journalists who are covering the Summit are fed well. For Indians, pulao, chicken curry and papad are among 45 varieties of food being served across at least 15 cuisines.
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After one-on-one talks this morning, with the help of interpreters, Trump and Kim proceeded to hold bilateral talks. The two leaders have expressed hope that the summit would end fruitfully. Trump said the two countries have an “excellent relationship”. He hoped that they will solve a big problem, a big dilemma”.
Kim, meanwhile, said, “It was not easy to get here. The past has placed many obstacles in our way but we overcame all of them and we are here today.”
The two leaders are likely to discuss North Korea’s international relations, months after Kim held unprecedented talks with South Korean’s Moon Jae-in. Trump is expected to bring up denuclearisation of the peninsula, while Kim is likely to ask Trump to lift international sanctions on the North.