Announcement for historic summit comes after visit by senior North Korean official Kim Yong-chol to the White House.
US President Donald Trump has announced that he is heading to Singapore on June 12 to hold talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Trump made the announcement on Friday, following a two-hour-long meeting with North Korean senior official Kim Yong-chol at the White House.
“We are meeting with the Chairman [Kim Jong-un] on June 12,” Trump told reporters waiting for him at the White House lawn.
While admitting that dealing with North Korea was “going to be a process”, Trump said he believed the effort would ultimately be “successful.”
“But we are not going to sign anything on June 12.”
Asked whether North Korea has made a commitment to de-nuclearise, Trump said, “They want to do that. So we will see where it leads.”
“I never said that it will happen in one meeting. I think it’s going to be a process. But the relationship is building and it is a very positive thing.”
Following the meeting, Trump and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo emerged from the White House alongside Kim Yong-chol and his aides, lingering for a few minutes at the White House lawn while talking to the North Korean officials before waving them goodbye.
