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North Korea‘‘s leader Kim Jong Un (3rd L) shaking hands with US President Donald Trump (3rd R) as they sit down with their delegations for the historic US-North Korea summit, at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island in Singapore. Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un became on June 12 the first sitting US and North Korean leaders to meet, shake hands and negotiate to end a decades-old nuclear stand-off. (AFP)
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“We will solve it, we will be successful”
“We’ve overcome everything to make it here today.” (North Korean leader Kim Jong-un) “We will have a terrific relationship, I have no doubt.” (US President Donald Trump) The “summit of the century” began at 9 am sharp on June 12 at Capella Hotel on Sentosa Island in Singapore. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump held the first North Korea-US summit in history that day. Before the meeting, Trump said, “I feel really great. We’re going to have a great discussion and will be tremendously successful. It's my honor, and we will have a terrific relationship, I have no doubt.” In return, Kim said, “The path here has not been very easy.” “We have a past that shackles us, and mistaken preconceptions and practices have sometimes covered our eyes and ears. Yet we have overcome all of that to arrive here,” he continued. The two leaders first had a one-on-one summit accompanied only by an interpreter, which ended after 35 minutes – sooner than the 45 minutes that originally been predicted. Afterwards, Trump said his one-on-one meeting with Kim had been “very, very good,” adding that the two had an “excellent relationship.” Directly after their one-on-one meeting, the two began an extended summit with aides in attendance. At the beginning of the extended summit, Trump announced that the two would “solve a big problem, a big dilemma.” Looking at Kim across the table, he added, “Working together with you, we'll get it taken care of.” Trump also predicted the two would “have tremendous success together.” “We will solve it, we will be successful,” he continued. Kim’s expression appeared optimistic as he replied to Trump’s remarks, but his words were difficult to hear over the sound of reporters’ camera shutters snapping. The extended meeting was attended by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, and National Security Advisor John Bolton on the US side, and Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho, Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) vice chairman Ri Su-yong, and WPK vice chairman and United Front Department director Kim Yong-chol on the North Korean side. Prior to the summit, Trump and Kim met in person for the first time following their arrival at the entrance of the Capella summit venue, which was decorated with the flags of North Korea and the US. The two shook hands for around 12 seconds and exchanged brief greetings before posing for photographers and immediately entering the building. Six North Korean and US flags each were positioned behind them. Kim reportedly greeted Trump in English during their first encounter. By Jung E-gil, senior staff writer Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]
