Kim, Trump to meet in Singapore on June 12

By Park Si-soo

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on June 12 in Singapore to discuss the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

"The highly anticipated meeting between Kim Jong Un and myself will take place in Singapore on June 12th," Trump tweeted. "We will both try to make it a very special moment for World Peace!"

Singapore ― almost 5,000 kilometers south of Pyongyang ― represents neutral turf for the two leaders.

If the meeting goes ahead as announced, the Kim-Trump meeting will mark the first North Korea-U.S. summit talks since the 1950-53 Korean War that was suspended by an armistice deal, not an official peace treaty.

Trump seeks 'very meaningful' summit with Kim 2018-05-11 09:40  |  North Korea
South Korea's presidential office "welcomed" the announcement. In a text message sent to reporters, President Moon Jae-in's spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said, "We welcome the historic North Korea-U.S. summit on June 12 in Singapore. We hope the summit will bring denuclearization and permanent peace to the Korean Peninsula."

Trump's announcement came one day after North Korea freed three U.S. prisoners held in the reclusive state in what is viewed as an early diplomatic concession.

Trump expressed a rare appreciation to Kim for releasing them and said he believes the North Korean leader wants to reach an agreement on denuclearization at their upcoming summit. "I really think he wants to do something," Trump said according to the White House press pool.

Singapore had emerged as the likely host of the summit after Trump openly ruled out the inter-Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ) as a location for the summit due to security and other concerns.