President Donald Trump said it himself to Congress and the American people: “No regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally or brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea.”

But when it comes to human rights, don’t expect Trump to hold Kim Jong Un’s feet to the fire at the Singapore summit. The focus is on nuclear weapons, and the young autocrat’s international standing is likely to be boosted regardless of the outcome.

In the run-up to Tuesday’s historic face-to-face with Kim, Trump has appeared unconcerned about the implications of feting an authoritarian leader suspected of ordering the public assassination of his half brother with a nerve agent, executing his uncle by firing squad and presiding over a notorious gulag estimated to hold 80,000 to 120,000 political prisoners.

While Trump highlighted Pyongyang’s problematic human rights record in January during his State of the Union address — where he also said the “depraved character of the North Korean regime” demonstrated the nature of the nuclear threat it could pose — the president has skirted those concerns since agreeing in March to Kim’s suggestion of a summit.

When Trump met former North Korean military intelligence chief Kim Yong Chol at the White House two weeks ago, the president said they didn’t discuss human rights, underscoring that it was not a primary concern. At a pre-summit briefing by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday, the issue didn’t get a mention.

Robert King, who served as U.S. envoy on North Korean human-rights issues under the Obama administration, said Trump has used human rights as an instrument to get Kim Jong Un to negotiate on nuclear weapons, but not as a policy priority in its own right.

“The other problem is that he’s anxious to see some progress at the summit, and human rights is not an easy issue to raise with Kim Jong Un,” King said.

U.S. presidents have always faced a predicament in balancing national security and geopolitical priorities with democratic values. But Trump has notably avoided calling out authoritarian leaders on human rights when he wants closer ties with them, whether it’s adversaries like China and Russia or allies like Saudi Arabia and the Philippines.

At the same time, he’s taken a confrontational path toward Western allies on issues like trade, climate and the Iran nuclear deal. He bounced to the Singapore summit after a tempestuous G-7 summit where the U.S. was isolated from its key European partners as never before and Trump even derided his Canadian host, a paragon of liberal democracy, as “dishonest” and “weak.”

Kim, meanwhile, will be granted a measure of validation from Washington that eluded his father and grandfather. They only ever met with former U.S. presidents, a symptom of six decades of hostility between the U.S. and North Korea, which remains a pariah in the eyes of the West not just for its nuclear and missile threats but for flouting international norms of diplomatic behavior.

Human-rights advocates who lauded Trump when he hosted eight North Korean defectors at the White House days after his State of the Union speech are now uneasy about his engagement with Kim, whom the president recently praised as “very honorable.”

Greg Scarlatoiu, executive director of the U.S.-based Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, and Rabbi Abraham Cooper at the Simon Wiesenthal Center urged Trump to seek “the complete, verifiable, irreversible dismantlement” of North Korean political prison camps — mimicking the formulation used by the U.S. in its demand for that nation’s denuclearization.

“Kim Jong Un wants security guarantees,” they wrote Monday, “but history has taught time and again liberal democracies shouldn’t try to guarantee the survival of a regime that runs political prison camps and commits crimes against humanity.”

During a quarter-century of on-off negotiations, human rights have played second fiddle for U.S. administrations seeking to ameliorate the threat posed by the North’s nukes, and there’s a reason. Raising human rights risks playing into North Korean suspicions that the U.S is intent on toppling its hereditary, totalitarian regime by seeking to open its political system, which only reinforces Pyongyang’s notion that it needs a nuclear deterrent to ensure its survival.

Joseph Yun, former U.S. envoy for North Korea policy, alluded to that when he told a Senate hearing last week that there’s a risk of “overloading the agenda” for the summit. He said if the U.S. is going to offer North Korea the security guarantees it seeks in return for denuclearization, it “also means you’re not going to interfere in domestic happenings, domestic politics” — like human rights.

But John Sifton, Asia advocacy director for Human Rights Watch in Washington, contends that rights issues can’t be separated from the goal of reaching a nuclear deal with North Korea. International inspections and verification of such a deal would require more openness from the North, typically allergic to outside scrutiny. And under a 2016 U.S. law, relief from U.S. sanctions that target the North Korean government would require progress on human rights, he said.

While human rights will get a low billing in Singapore, Trump hasn’t totally ignored the issue.

After he met Kim’s close aide Kim Yong Chol on June 1, Trump said human rights “probably” would be discussed at the summit, and he has committed several times to raise the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s — a longstanding request of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that he reiterated to the president in person last week.

In the run-up to Tuesday’s historic face-to-face with Kim, Trump has appeared unconcerned about the implications of feting an authoritarian leader suspected of ordering the public assassination of his half brother with a nerve agent, executing his uncle by firing squad and presiding over a notorious gulag estimated to hold 80,000 to 120,000 political prisoners

President Donald Trump said it himself to Congress and the American people: “No regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally or brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea.” But when it comes to human rights, don’t expect Trump to hold Kim Jong Un’s feet to the fire at the Singapore summit. The focus is on nuclear weapons, and the young autocrat’s international standing is likely to be boosted regardless of the outcome. In the run-up to Tuesday’s historic face-to-face with Kim, Trump has appeared unconcerned about the implications of feting an authoritarian leader suspected of ordering the public assassination of his half brother with a nerve agent, executing his uncle by firing squad and presiding over a notorious gulag estimated to hold 80,000 to 120,000 political prisoners. While Trump highlighted Pyongyang’s problematic human rights record in January during his State of the Union address — where he also said the “depraved character of the North Korean regime” demonstrated the nature of the nuclear threat it could pose — the president has skirted those concerns since agreeing in March to Kim’s suggestion of a summit. When Trump met former North Korean military intelligence chief Kim Yong Chol at the White House two weeks ago, the president said they didn’t discuss human rights, underscoring that it was not a primary concern. At a pre-summit briefing by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday, the issue didn’t get a mention. Robert King, who served as U.S. envoy on North Korean human-rights issues under the Obama administration, said Trump has used human rights as an instrument to get Kim Jong Un to negotiate on nuclear weapons, but not as a policy priority in its own right. “The other problem is that he’s anxious to see some progress at the summit, and human rights is not an easy issue to raise with Kim Jong Un,” King said. U.S. presidents have always faced a predicament in balancing national security and geopolitical priorities with democratic values. But Trump has notably avoided calling out authoritarian leaders on human rights when he wants closer ties with them, whether it’s adversaries like China and Russia or allies like Saudi Arabia and the Philippines. At the same time, he’s taken a confrontational path toward Western allies on issues like trade, climate and the Iran nuclear deal. He bounced to the Singapore summit after a tempestuous G-7 summit where the U.S. was isolated from its key European partners as never before and Trump even derided his Canadian host, a paragon of liberal democracy, as “dishonest” and “weak.” Kim, meanwhile, will be granted a measure of validation from Washington that eluded his father and grandfather. They only ever met with former U.S. presidents, a symptom of six decades of hostility between the U.S. and North Korea, which remains a pariah in the eyes of the West not just for its nuclear and missile threats but for flouting international norms of diplomatic behavior. Human-rights advocates who lauded Trump when he hosted eight North Korean defectors at the White House days after his State of the Union speech are now uneasy about his engagement with Kim, whom the president recently praised as “very honorable.” Greg Scarlatoiu, executive director of the U.S.-based Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, and Rabbi Abraham Cooper at the Simon Wiesenthal Center urged Trump to seek “the complete, verifiable, irreversible dismantlement” of North Korean political prison camps — mimicking the formulation used by the U.S. in its demand for that nation’s denuclearization. “Kim Jong Un wants security guarantees,” they wrote Monday, “but history has taught time and again liberal democracies shouldn’t try to guarantee the survival of a regime that runs political prison camps and commits crimes against humanity.” During a quarter-century of on-off negotiations, human rights have played second fiddle for U.S. administrations seeking to ameliorate the threat posed by the North’s nukes, and there’s a reason. Raising human rights risks playing into North Korean suspicions that the U.S is intent on toppling its hereditary, totalitarian regime by seeking to open its political system, which only reinforces Pyongyang’s notion that it needs a nuclear deterrent to ensure its survival. Joseph Yun, former U.S. envoy for North Korea policy, alluded to that when he told a Senate hearing last week that there’s a risk of “overloading the agenda” for the summit. He said if the U.S. is going to offer North Korea the security guarantees it seeks in return for denuclearization, it “also means you’re not going to interfere in domestic happenings, domestic politics” — like human rights. But John Sifton, Asia advocacy director for Human Rights Watch in Washington, contends that rights issues can’t be separated from the goal of reaching a nuclear deal with North Korea. International inspections and verification of such a deal would require more openness from the North, typically allergic to outside scrutiny. And under a 2016 U.S. law, relief from U.S. sanctions that target the North Korean government would require progress on human rights, he said. While human rights will get a low billing in Singapore, Trump hasn’t totally ignored the issue. After he met Kim’s close aide Kim Yong Chol on June 1, Trump said human rights “probably” would be discussed at the summit, and he has committed several times to raise the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s — a longstanding request of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that he reiterated to the president in person last week.

At Trump-Kim summit, human rights is a back-burner issue

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his commitment to "complete denuclearisation of Korean Peninsula", in a joint agreement signed with President Donald Trump Tuesday.

The text made no mention of US demands for "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation" -- jargon for scrapping weapons and committing to inspections -- but did restate a vaguer commitment, AFP saw in a photo of the document.&nbsp

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-kim-very-smart-north-korea-to-denuclearise-very-very-quickly-143790">Trump says Kim 'very smart', North Korea to denuclearise 'very, very quickly'</a>

The text made no mention of US demands for 'complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation' — jargon for scrapping weapons and committing to inspections — but did restate a vaguer commitment

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his commitment to "complete denuclearisation of Korean Peninsula", in a joint agreement signed with President Donald Trump Tuesday. The text made no mention of US demands for "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation" -- jargon for scrapping weapons and committing to inspections -- but did restate a vaguer commitment, AFP saw in a photo of the document. Also read: Trump says Kim 'very smart', North Korea to denuclearise 'very, very quickly'

Kim Jong-Un commits to 'complete denuclearisation of Korean Peninsula' in joint text

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a "comprehensive" document on Tuesday following a historic summit in Singapore aimed at the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

There were no immediate details on the contents of the document but Trump said he expected the denuclearisation process to start "very, very quickly".

Although the breakthrough made at the summit marks just the start of a diplomatic process, it could bring lasting change to the security landscape of Northeast Asia, just as former US&nbspPresident Richard Nixon visit to Beijing in 1972 led to the transformation of China.

Before signing what Trump described as a "comprehensive letter", Kim said the two leaders had a historic meeting “and decided to leave the past behind. The world will see a major change.”

Trump said he had formed a "very special bond" with Kim and that relationship with North Korea would be very different.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-summit-with-north-koreas-kim-better-than-anybody-expected-143755">Trump says summit with North Korea's Kim 'better than anybody expected'</a>

"People are going to be very impressed and people are going to be very happy and we are going to take care of a very dangerous problem for the world," Trump said.

Asked whether he would invite Kim to the White House, Trump said: "Absolutely, I will."

He called Kim "very smart" and a "very worthy, very hard negotiator."

"I learned he's a very talented man. I also learned that he loves his country very much."

During a post-lunch stroll through the gardens of the Singapore hotel where the summit was held, Trump said the summit had gone "better than anybody could have expected".

Kim stood silently alongside, but the North Korean leader had earlier described their meeting as a "a good prelude to peace".

Both men walked to Trump's bullet-proof limousine, nicknamed "The Beast", and looked in at the rear seat, with Trump apparently showing Kim something inside. They then resumed their walk.

They had appeared cautious and serious when they first arrived for the summit at the Capella hotel on Singapore's Sentosa, a resort island with luxury hotels, a casino, manmade beaches and a Universal Studios theme park.

But, with cameras of the world's press trained on them, they displayed an initial atmosphere of bonhomie as they met on the verandah of the Capella, a refurbished 19th century British regimental officers' mess.

After a handshake, they were soon smiling and holding each other by the arm, before Trump guided Kim to the library where they held a meeting with only their interpreters. Trump had said on Saturday he would know within a minute of meeting Kim whether he would reach a deal.

MARKETS RISE

Inside, they sat alongside each other against a backdrop of North Korean and U.S. flags, with Kim beaming broadly as the U.S. president gave him a thumbs up.

The combatants of the 1950-53 Korean War are technically still at war, as the conflict, in which millions of people died, was concluded only with a truce.

After initial exchanges lasting around 40 minutes, Trump and Kim emerged, walking side-by-side through the colonnaded hotel before entering a meeting room, where they were joined by their most senior officials.

Kim was heard telling Trump through a translator: "I think the entire world is watching this moment. Many people in the world will think of this as a scene from a fantasy...science fiction movie."

Asked by a reporter how the meeting was going, Trump said: "Very good. Very, very good. Good relationship."

Kim also sounded positive about the prospects of peace.

"We overcame all kinds of scepticism and speculations about this summit and I believe that this is good for the peace," he said. "I believe this is a good prelude for peace."

The dollar jumped to a 3-week top on Tuesday and Asian shares rose on the news.

Trump was joined by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton, and John Kelly, White House Chief of Staff, for the expanded talks, while Kim's team included former military intelligence chief Kim Yong Chol, foreign minister Ri Yong Ho and Ri Su Yong, vice chairman of the ruling Workers' Party.

As the two leaders met, Singapore navy vessels, and air force Apache helicopters patrolled, while fighter jets and an Gulfstream 550 early warning aircraft circled.

Body language expert said both men tried to project command as they met, but also displayed signs of nerves.

After the meetings, the two teams and other senior officials met for a working lunch, where beef short ribs, sweet and sour pork and "Daegu Jormin", or Korean braised cod, were served for the main course, according to the menu. That was to be followed by dark chocolate tarts, pastries and vanilla ice cream for dessert. The North Korean leader's sister and close confidante Kim Yo Jong was among the lunch party.

As the cameras captured the moment, Trump quipped: "Very nice. Getting a good picture everyone, so we all look nice and handsome and thin...perfect".

In the hours before the summit began, Trump expressed optimism about prospects for the first-ever meeting of sitting U.S. and North Korean leaders, while Pompeo injected a note of caution whether Kim would prove to be sincere about his willingness to denuclearise.

Pompeo said the summit should set the framework for "the hard work that will follow", insisting that North Korea had to move toward complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation.

North Korea, however, has shown little appetite for surrendering nuclear weapons it considers vital to the survival of Kim's dynastic rule.

Sanctions on North Korea would remain in place until that happened, Pompeo said on Monday. "If diplomacy does not move in the right direction ... those measures will increase."

The White House said later that discussions with North Korea had moved "more quickly than expected" and Trump would leave Singapore on Tuesday night after the summit, rather than Wednesday, as scheduled earlier.

Kim is due to leave on Tuesday afternoon, a source involved in the planning of his visit has said.

Trump spoke to Moon and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, both key allies of Washington in the region, to discuss developments ahead of the summit.

"I too, got little sleep last night," Moon told his cabinet in Seoul as the summit began in Singapore.

"I truly hope it will be a successful summit that will open a new age for the two Koreas and the United States and bring us complete denuclearisation and peace."

Before signing what Trump described as a 'comprehensive letter', Kim said the two leaders had a historic meeting 'and decided to leave the past behind. The world will see a major change'. Trump said he had formed a 'very special bond' with Kim

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a "comprehensive" document on Tuesday following a historic summit in Singapore aimed at the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. There were no immediate details on the contents of the document but Trump said he expected the denuclearisation process to start "very, very quickly". Although the breakthrough made at the summit marks just the start of a diplomatic process, it could bring lasting change to the security landscape of Northeast Asia, just as former US&nbspPresident Richard Nixon visit to Beijing in 1972 led to the transformation of China. Before signing what Trump described as a "comprehensive letter", Kim said the two leaders had a historic meeting “and decided to leave the past behind. The world will see a major change.” Trump said he had formed a "very special bond" with Kim and that relationship with North Korea would be very different. Also read: Trump says summit with North Korea's Kim 'better than anybody expected' "People are going to be very impressed and people are going to be very happy and we are going to take care of a very dangerous problem for the world," Trump said. Asked whether he would invite Kim to the White House, Trump said: "Absolutely, I will." He called Kim "very smart" and a "very worthy, very hard negotiator." "I learned he's a very talented man. I also learned that he loves his country very much." During a post-lunch stroll through the gardens of the Singapore hotel where the summit was held, Trump said the summit had gone "better than anybody could have expected". Kim stood silently alongside, but the North Korean leader had earlier described their meeting as a "a good prelude to peace". Both men walked to Trump's bullet-proof limousine, nicknamed "The Beast", and looked in at the rear seat, with Trump apparently showing Kim something inside. They then resumed their walk. They had appeared cautious and serious when they first arrived for the summit at the Capella hotel on Singapore's Sentosa, a resort island with luxury hotels, a casino, manmade beaches and a Universal Studios theme park. But, with cameras of the world's press trained on them, they displayed an initial atmosphere of bonhomie as they met on the verandah of the Capella, a refurbished 19th century British regimental officers' mess. After a handshake, they were soon smiling and holding each other by the arm, before Trump guided Kim to the library where they held a meeting with only their interpreters. Trump had said on Saturday he would know within a minute of meeting Kim whether he would reach a deal. MARKETS RISE Inside, they sat alongside each other against a backdrop of North Korean and U.S. flags, with Kim beaming broadly as the U.S. president gave him a thumbs up. The combatants of the 1950-53 Korean War are technically still at war, as the conflict, in which millions of people died, was concluded only with a truce. After initial exchanges lasting around 40 minutes, Trump and Kim emerged, walking side-by-side through the colonnaded hotel before entering a meeting room, where they were joined by their most senior officials. Kim was heard telling Trump through a translator: "I think the entire world is watching this moment. Many people in the world will think of this as a scene from a fantasy...science fiction movie." Asked by a reporter how the meeting was going, Trump said: "Very good. Very, very good. Good relationship." Kim also sounded positive about the prospects of peace. "We overcame all kinds of scepticism and speculations about this summit and I believe that this is good for the peace," he said. "I believe this is a good prelude for peace." The dollar jumped to a 3-week top on Tuesday and Asian shares rose on the news. Trump was joined by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton, and John Kelly, White House Chief of Staff, for the expanded talks, while Kim's team included former military intelligence chief Kim Yong Chol, foreign minister Ri Yong Ho and Ri Su Yong, vice chairman of the ruling Workers' Party. As the two leaders met, Singapore navy vessels, and air force Apache helicopters patrolled, while fighter jets and an Gulfstream 550 early warning aircraft circled. Body language expert said both men tried to project command as they met, but also displayed signs of nerves. After the meetings, the two teams and other senior officials met for a working lunch, where beef short ribs, sweet and sour pork and "Daegu Jormin", or Korean braised cod, were served for the main course, according to the menu. That was to be followed by dark chocolate tarts, pastries and vanilla ice cream for dessert. The North Korean leader's sister and close confidante Kim Yo Jong was among the lunch party. As the cameras captured the moment, Trump quipped: "Very nice. Getting a good picture everyone, so we all look nice and handsome and thin...perfect". In the hours before the summit began, Trump expressed optimism about prospects for the first-ever meeting of sitting U.S. and North Korean leaders, while Pompeo injected a note of caution whether Kim would prove to be sincere about his willingness to denuclearise. Pompeo said the summit should set the framework for "the hard work that will follow", insisting that North Korea had to move toward complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation. North Korea, however, has shown little appetite for surrendering nuclear weapons it considers vital to the survival of Kim's dynastic rule. Sanctions on North Korea would remain in place until that happened, Pompeo said on Monday. "If diplomacy does not move in the right direction ... those measures will increase." The White House said later that discussions with North Korea had moved "more quickly than expected" and Trump would leave Singapore on Tuesday night after the summit, rather than Wednesday, as scheduled earlier. Kim is due to leave on Tuesday afternoon, a source involved in the planning of his visit has said. Trump spoke to Moon and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, both key allies of Washington in the region, to discuss developments ahead of the summit. "I too, got little sleep last night," Moon told his cabinet in Seoul as the summit began in Singapore. "I truly hope it will be a successful summit that will open a new age for the two Koreas and the United States and bring us complete denuclearisation and peace."

Trump says Kim 'very smart', North Korea to denuclearise 'very, very quickly'

Two Indian-origin ministers in Singapore, Vivian Balakrishnan and K Shanmugam, are playing a key role in facilitating a hassle-free summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Tuesday.

Balakrishnan, Singapore’s foreign minister, made important visits to Washington, Pyongyang and Beijing in recent days to ensure that there would be no last-minute spoilers for the historic meeting hosted by the city-state.

Balakrishnan, 57, is from the ruling People’s Action Party. He studied medicine and later pursued postgraduate education in ophthalmology.

Shanmugam is Singapore’s Minister for Law and Home Affairs and he has the responsibility to make sure that the summit, the first between a sitting US president and a North Korean top leader, goes without a hitch from the security point of view.

A lawyer by profession, 59-year-old Shanmugam also belongs to the ruling People’s Action Party.

Singapore is one of the few countries that have diplomatic relations with both the US and North Korea.

Balakrishnan, who received Kim, the Chairman of North Korea’s State Affairs Commission, on Sunday at Changi Airport, said the summit comes after 70 years of suspicion, war and diplomatic failures.

“This is not the way conventional diplomacy would have been conducted, but perhaps you need two very unconventional leaders to have brought us to this stage,” he told the BBC.

“They may be able to pull rabbits out of a hat that the rest of us conventional diplomats would not have been able to do,” he said.

Still, he noted that decades of tension cannot be resolved in one meeting, although, based on his interactions with their staff and meeting them personally, “both are supremely confident, both are hopeful”.

Balakrishnan also said that the Singapore government was footing the hotel bill for Kim and his delegation who are staying at the plush St Regis hotel here.

He added that the expenditure forms part of the 20 million Singapore dollars (USD 15 million) that Singapore is spending on the summit in all.

Of this, half is on security, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Law and Home Affairs Minister Shanmugam is confident that security is in place for the Trump-Kim summit.

“The fact that we prepared this in two weeks, this adds to logistics demands by officers who worked around the clock,” Shanmugam said at a security briefing yesterday.

“We are confident that we have put security in place. We have 5,000 Home Team officers such as police and emergency response teams like civil defence,” he was quoted as saying by Channel News Asia.

Shanmugam said that four people have been turned away at Singapore’s immigration checkpoints in the lead-up to the summit.

Singapore is one of the few countries that have diplomatic relations with both the US and North Korea.

Two Indian-origin ministers in Singapore, Vivian Balakrishnan and K Shanmugam, are playing a key role in facilitating a hassle-free summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Tuesday. Balakrishnan, Singapore’s foreign minister, made important visits to Washington, Pyongyang and Beijing in recent days to ensure that there would be no last-minute spoilers for the historic meeting hosted by the city-state. Balakrishnan, 57, is from the ruling People’s Action Party. He studied medicine and later pursued postgraduate education in ophthalmology. Shanmugam is Singapore’s Minister for Law and Home Affairs and he has the responsibility to make sure that the summit, the first between a sitting US president and a North Korean top leader, goes without a hitch from the security point of view. A lawyer by profession, 59-year-old Shanmugam also belongs to the ruling People’s Action Party. Singapore is one of the few countries that have diplomatic relations with both the US and North Korea. Balakrishnan, who received Kim, the Chairman of North Korea’s State Affairs Commission, on Sunday at Changi Airport, said the summit comes after 70 years of suspicion, war and diplomatic failures. “This is not the way conventional diplomacy would have been conducted, but perhaps you need two very unconventional leaders to have brought us to this stage,” he told the BBC. “They may be able to pull rabbits out of a hat that the rest of us conventional diplomats would not have been able to do,” he said. Still, he noted that decades of tension cannot be resolved in one meeting, although, based on his interactions with their staff and meeting them personally, “both are supremely confident, both are hopeful”. Balakrishnan also said that the Singapore government was footing the hotel bill for Kim and his delegation who are staying at the plush St Regis hotel here. He added that the expenditure forms part of the 20 million Singapore dollars (USD 15 million) that Singapore is spending on the summit in all. Of this, half is on security, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Sunday. Meanwhile, Law and Home Affairs Minister Shanmugam is confident that security is in place for the Trump-Kim summit. “The fact that we prepared this in two weeks, this adds to logistics demands by officers who worked around the clock,” Shanmugam said at a security briefing yesterday. “We are confident that we have put security in place. We have 5,000 Home Team officers such as police and emergency response teams like civil defence,” he was quoted as saying by Channel News Asia. Shanmugam said that four people have been turned away at Singapore’s immigration checkpoints in the lead-up to the summit.

Two Indian-origin ministers in Singapore played key role in Trump-Kim summit

Trump and Kim concluded their first historic meeting — it really is, a sitting US President and a North Korean leader have never met before, not even spoken on the phone — today.&nbsp;

The one-on-one, along with translators, lasted about 48 minutes.&nbsp;

Reuters quoted a body language expert as saying Trump and Kim both sought to project a sense of command as they began their summit,&nbsp;

The body language expert said their handshake, which lasted over 10 seconds, showed both leaders seeking to take charge of their encounter. Trump spoke to Kim during the handshake, while the North Korean leader listened affirmatively.&nbsp;

"Their handshake seems to be between peers," Karen Leong, Managing Director of Singapore-headquartered Influence Solutions, said. "Trump seemed to be very aware of this, that he needed to up the stakes and be seen that he is the leader."&nbsp;

Trump arrived to the summit looking serious, and showed off the power-grab gestures most recently seen during the G7 summit this week. He patted the North Korean leader on the arm twice and also initiated a handshake while talking to the media about the "successful relationship".&nbsp;

Trump did most of the talking and Kim appeared to listen attentively, turning to him three times during their walk towards the library they were meeting in. But he also patted the US President's arm, in an attempt to show control over the encounter.

Trump, who is more than twice as old Kim who is reportedly 34, appeared to lead the way to the library, placing his hand on the North Korean leader's back.&nbsp;

But Leong said the two leaders found it tough to disguise their nervousness once they sat down to their meeting with Trump displaying a slanted smile and fidgeting with his hands, and Kim leaning and staring at the ground.

Ahead of the meeting, Trump had said he would be able to work out within the first minute whether his North Korean counterpart was serious about making peace.

"I think that very quickly I'll know that something good is going to happen," Trump said in Canada during the G7 meeting. "I also think I'll know if it's going to happen fast – it may not, but I'll know pretty quickly whether or not, in my opinion, something positive will happen."

The two leaders had, before their sudden thaw, been trading insults for months with economic sanctions on North Korea ramped up in response to its nuclear weapons programme.

A body language expert said the two leaders found it tough to disguise their nervousness once they sat down to their meeting with Trump displaying a slanted smile and fidgeting with his hands, and Kim leaning and staring at the ground

Trump and Kim concluded their first historic meeting — it really is, a sitting US President and a North Korean leader have never met before, not even spoken on the phone — today. The one-on-one, along with translators, lasted about 48 minutes. Reuters quoted a body language expert as saying Trump and Kim both sought to project a sense of command as they began their summit, The body language expert said their handshake, which lasted over 10 seconds, showed both leaders seeking to take charge of their encounter. Trump spoke to Kim during the handshake, while the North Korean leader listened affirmatively. "Their handshake seems to be between peers," Karen Leong, Managing Director of Singapore-headquartered Influence Solutions, said. "Trump seemed to be very aware of this, that he needed to up the stakes and be seen that he is the leader." Trump arrived to the summit looking serious, and showed off the power-grab gestures most recently seen during the G7 summit this week. He patted the North Korean leader on the arm twice and also initiated a handshake while talking to the media about the "successful relationship". Trump did most of the talking and Kim appeared to listen attentively, turning to him three times during their walk towards the library they were meeting in. But he also patted the US President's arm, in an attempt to show control over the encounter. Trump, who is more than twice as old Kim who is reportedly 34, appeared to lead the way to the library, placing his hand on the North Korean leader's back. But Leong said the two leaders found it tough to disguise their nervousness once they sat down to their meeting with Trump displaying a slanted smile and fidgeting with his hands, and Kim leaning and staring at the ground. Ahead of the meeting, Trump had said he would be able to work out within the first minute whether his North Korean counterpart was serious about making peace. "I think that very quickly I'll know that something good is going to happen," Trump said in Canada during the G7 meeting. "I also think I'll know if it's going to happen fast – it may not, but I'll know pretty quickly whether or not, in my opinion, something positive will happen." The two leaders had, before their sudden thaw, been trading insults for months with economic sanctions on North Korea ramped up in response to its nuclear weapons programme.

Trump and Kim's body language said both tried to show they were in control

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump said a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Tuesday had gone "better than anybody could have expected", and they would sign a document following talks on ways to end a nuclear standoff on the Korean peninsula.

Kim stood silently alongside Trump as he spoke to media during a post-lunch stroll through the gardens of the Singapore hotel where the summit was held, but the North Korean leader had earlier described their meeting as a "a good prelude to peace".

Both men walked to Trump's limousine and looked in at the rear seat, with Trump apparently showing Kim something inside. They then resumed their walk.

"A lot of progress - really very positive. I think better than anybody could have expected. Top of the line, very good. We’re going now for a signing," Trump told journalists, without giving details on what would be signed.

Should they succeed in making a diplomatic breakthrough, it could bring lasting change to the security landscape of Northeast Asia, like the visit of former U.S. President Richard Nixon to China in 1972 led to the transformation of China.

Both men had looked serious as they got out of their limousines for the summit at the Capella hotel on Singapore's Sentosa, a resort island with luxury hotels, a casino, manmade beaches and a Universal Studios theme park.

But, with cameras of the world's press trained on them, they displayed an initial atmosphere of bonhomie as they met on the verandah of the Capella, a refurbished 19th century British regimental officers' mess.

After a handshake, they were soon smiling and holding each other by the arm, before Trump guided Kim to the library where they held a meeting with only their interpreters. Trump had said on Saturday he would know within a minute of meeting Kim whether he would reach a deal.

Inside, they sat alongside each other against a backdrop of North Korean and U.S. flags, with Kim beaming broadly as the U.S. president gave him a thumbs up.

The combatants of the 1950-53 Korean War are technically still at war, as the conflict, in which millions of people died, was concluded only with a truce.

After initial exchanges lasting around 40 minutes, Trump and Kim emerged, walking side-by-side through the colonnaded hotel before entering a meeting room, where they were joined by their most senior officials.

Kim was heard telling Trump through a translator: "I think the entire world is watching this moment. Many people in the world will think of this as a scene from a fantasy...science fiction movie."

Asked by a reporter how the meeting was going, Trump said: "Very good. Very, very good. Good relationship."

Kim also sounded positive about the prospects.

"We overcame all kinds of scepticism and speculations about this summit and I believe that this is good for the peace," he said. "I believe this is a good prelude for peace."

Trump was joined by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton, and John Kelly, White House Chief of Staff, for the expanded talks, while Kim's team included former military intelligence chief Kim Yong Chol, foreign minister Ri Yong Ho and Ri Su Yong, vice chairman of the ruling Workers' Party.

MARKETS CALM

As the two leaders met, Singapore navy vessels, and air force Apache helicopters patrolled, while fighter jets and an Gulfstream 550 early warning aircraft circled.

Financial markets were largely steady in Asia and did not show any noticeable reaction to the start of the summit. The dollar was at a three-week high and the MSCI index of Asia-Pacific shares was largely unchanged from Monday.

While Trump and Kim search each other’s eyes and words for signs of trust or deceit, the rest of the world will be watching, hoping that somehow these two unpredictable leaders can find a way to defuse one of the planet's most dangerous flashpoints.

Body language expert said both men tried to project command as they met, but also displayed signs of nerves.

After the meetings, the two teams and other senior officials met for a working lunch, where beef short ribs, sweet and sour pork and "Daegu Jormin", or Korean braised cod, were served for the main course, according to the menu. That was to be followed by dark chocolate tarts, pastries and vanilla ice cream for dessert. The North Korean leader's sister and close confidante Kim Yo Jong was among the lunch party.

As the cameras captured the moment, Trump quipped: "Very nice. Getting a good picture everyone, so we all look nice and handsome and thin...perfect".

In the hours before the summit began, Trump expressed optimism about prospects for the first-ever meeting of sitting U.S. and North Korean leaders, while Pompeo injected a note of caution whether Kim would prove to be sincere about his willingness to denuclearise.

Pompeo said the summit should set the framework for "the hard work that will follow", insisting that North Korea had to move toward complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation.

North Korea, however, has shown little appetite for surrendering nuclear weapons it considers vital to the survival of Kim's dynastic rule.

Sanctions on North Korea would remain in place until that happened, Pompeo said on Monday. "If diplomacy does not move in the right direction ... those measures will increase."

The White House said later that discussions with North Korea had moved "more quickly than expected" and Trump would leave Singapore on Tuesday night after the summit, rather than Wednesday, as scheduled earlier.

Kim is due to leave on Tuesday afternoon, a source involved in the planning of his visit has said.

One of the world's most reclusive leaders, Kim visited Singapore's waterfront on Monday, smiling and waving to onlookers, adding to a more affable image that has emerged since his April summit with South Korean leader Moon Jae-in.

Trump spoke to Moon and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, both key allies of Washington in the region, to discuss developments ahead of the summit.

"I too, got little sleep last night," Moon told his cabinet in Seoul as the summit began in Singapore.

"I truly hope it will be a successful summit that will open a new age for the two Koreas and the United States and bring us complete denuclearisation and peace."

Trump added that he and Kim would sign a document following talks on ways to end a nuclear standoff on the Korean peninsula

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump said a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Tuesday had gone "better than anybody could have expected", and they would sign a document following talks on ways to end a nuclear standoff on the Korean peninsula. Kim stood silently alongside Trump as he spoke to media during a post-lunch stroll through the gardens of the Singapore hotel where the summit was held, but the North Korean leader had earlier described their meeting as a "a good prelude to peace". Both men walked to Trump's limousine and looked in at the rear seat, with Trump apparently showing Kim something inside. They then resumed their walk. "A lot of progress - really very positive. I think better than anybody could have expected. Top of the line, very good. We’re going now for a signing," Trump told journalists, without giving details on what would be signed. Should they succeed in making a diplomatic breakthrough, it could bring lasting change to the security landscape of Northeast Asia, like the visit of former U.S. President Richard Nixon to China in 1972 led to the transformation of China. Both men had looked serious as they got out of their limousines for the summit at the Capella hotel on Singapore's Sentosa, a resort island with luxury hotels, a casino, manmade beaches and a Universal Studios theme park. But, with cameras of the world's press trained on them, they displayed an initial atmosphere of bonhomie as they met on the verandah of the Capella, a refurbished 19th century British regimental officers' mess. After a handshake, they were soon smiling and holding each other by the arm, before Trump guided Kim to the library where they held a meeting with only their interpreters. Trump had said on Saturday he would know within a minute of meeting Kim whether he would reach a deal. Inside, they sat alongside each other against a backdrop of North Korean and U.S. flags, with Kim beaming broadly as the U.S. president gave him a thumbs up. The combatants of the 1950-53 Korean War are technically still at war, as the conflict, in which millions of people died, was concluded only with a truce. After initial exchanges lasting around 40 minutes, Trump and Kim emerged, walking side-by-side through the colonnaded hotel before entering a meeting room, where they were joined by their most senior officials. Kim was heard telling Trump through a translator: "I think the entire world is watching this moment. Many people in the world will think of this as a scene from a fantasy...science fiction movie." Asked by a reporter how the meeting was going, Trump said: "Very good. Very, very good. Good relationship." Kim also sounded positive about the prospects. "We overcame all kinds of scepticism and speculations about this summit and I believe that this is good for the peace," he said. "I believe this is a good prelude for peace." Trump was joined by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton, and John Kelly, White House Chief of Staff, for the expanded talks, while Kim's team included former military intelligence chief Kim Yong Chol, foreign minister Ri Yong Ho and Ri Su Yong, vice chairman of the ruling Workers' Party. MARKETS CALM As the two leaders met, Singapore navy vessels, and air force Apache helicopters patrolled, while fighter jets and an Gulfstream 550 early warning aircraft circled. Financial markets were largely steady in Asia and did not show any noticeable reaction to the start of the summit. The dollar was at a three-week high and the MSCI index of Asia-Pacific shares was largely unchanged from Monday. While Trump and Kim search each other’s eyes and words for signs of trust or deceit, the rest of the world will be watching, hoping that somehow these two unpredictable leaders can find a way to defuse one of the planet's most dangerous flashpoints. Body language expert said both men tried to project command as they met, but also displayed signs of nerves. After the meetings, the two teams and other senior officials met for a working lunch, where beef short ribs, sweet and sour pork and "Daegu Jormin", or Korean braised cod, were served for the main course, according to the menu. That was to be followed by dark chocolate tarts, pastries and vanilla ice cream for dessert. The North Korean leader's sister and close confidante Kim Yo Jong was among the lunch party. As the cameras captured the moment, Trump quipped: "Very nice. Getting a good picture everyone, so we all look nice and handsome and thin...perfect". In the hours before the summit began, Trump expressed optimism about prospects for the first-ever meeting of sitting U.S. and North Korean leaders, while Pompeo injected a note of caution whether Kim would prove to be sincere about his willingness to denuclearise. Pompeo said the summit should set the framework for "the hard work that will follow", insisting that North Korea had to move toward complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation. North Korea, however, has shown little appetite for surrendering nuclear weapons it considers vital to the survival of Kim's dynastic rule. Sanctions on North Korea would remain in place until that happened, Pompeo said on Monday. "If diplomacy does not move in the right direction ... those measures will increase." The White House said later that discussions with North Korea had moved "more quickly than expected" and Trump would leave Singapore on Tuesday night after the summit, rather than Wednesday, as scheduled earlier. Kim is due to leave on Tuesday afternoon, a source involved in the planning of his visit has said. One of the world's most reclusive leaders, Kim visited Singapore's waterfront on Monday, smiling and waving to onlookers, adding to a more affable image that has emerged since his April summit with South Korean leader Moon Jae-in. Trump spoke to Moon and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, both key allies of Washington in the region, to discuss developments ahead of the summit. "I too, got little sleep last night," Moon told his cabinet in Seoul as the summit began in Singapore. "I truly hope it will be a successful summit that will open a new age for the two Koreas and the United States and bring us complete denuclearisation and peace."

Trump says summit with North Korea's Kim 'better than anybody expected'

India on Tuesday welcomed the historic summit that took place between United States President Donald Trump and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore. "This is a positive development. India has always supported all efforts to bring about peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and diplomacy. We hope that the outcomes of the US-DPRK Summit will be implemented, thus paving the way for lasting peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula," a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) read.

The MEA statement added, "We also hope that the resolution of the Korean Peninsula issue will take into account and address our concerns about proliferation linkages extending to India`s neighbourhood."

The meeting came after months of deliberations between two countries over the time and venue of the summit. Both the leaders signed a joint agreement, according to which Kim committed to&nbsp;'complete denuclearisation of Korean Peninsula', as per media reports.

Prior to the signing of the comprehensive document, both the leaders had a working lunch and walked around Capella, where they held a bilateral meeting in the morning. Despite Kim threatening to call off the summit talks following the 'Max military drills'&nbsp;and Trump announcing to call off the event, citing "tremendous anger and open hostility" from North Korea as the reason, the historic summit finally culminated successfully.

Trump has departed for the US from Singapore's Paya Lebar Airbase aboard Air Force One, after holding talks with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un. He's headed back to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, with brief stops in Guam and Hawaii first, CNN reported. Trump's departure followed the press conference that the US president addressed after the summit.

The meeting came after months of deliberations between two countries over the time and venue of the summit

India on Tuesday welcomed the historic summit that took place between United States President Donald Trump and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore. "This is a positive development. India has always supported all efforts to bring about peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and diplomacy. We hope that the outcomes of the US-DPRK Summit will be implemented, thus paving the way for lasting peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula," a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) read. The MEA statement added, "We also hope that the resolution of the Korean Peninsula issue will take into account and address our concerns about proliferation linkages extending to India`s neighbourhood." The meeting came after months of deliberations between two countries over the time and venue of the summit. Both the leaders signed a joint agreement, according to which Kim committed to 'complete denuclearisation of Korean Peninsula', as per media reports. Prior to the signing of the comprehensive document, both the leaders had a working lunch and walked around Capella, where they held a bilateral meeting in the morning. Despite Kim threatening to call off the summit talks following the 'Max military drills' and Trump announcing to call off the event, citing "tremendous anger and open hostility" from North Korea as the reason, the historic summit finally culminated successfully. Trump has departed for the US from Singapore's Paya Lebar Airbase aboard Air Force One, after holding talks with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un. He's headed back to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, with brief stops in Guam and Hawaii first, CNN reported. Trump's departure followed the press conference that the US president addressed after the summit.

This is positive development: India welcomes Trump-Kim Summit

"It is a great day and one of the greatest moments in the history of the world," Trump said at&nbspa press conference in Singapore after meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.&nbsp

Trump and Kim had a historic meeting — a sitting US President and a North Korean leader have never met before — at the Capella Hotel on Singapore's Sentosa Island on Tuesday

"Kim Jong-Un has the chance to seize a better future for his country. Anyone can make war but only the most courageous can make peace," Trump said at the press conference.&nbsp

"We are prepared for the new history. We are ready to write new chapters. The past does not to have to define the future," he added.&nbsp

Watch Trump's press conference&nbsplive below:&nbsp

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="550" id="frmwion" scrolling="no" src="http://wionews.dittotv.com/?header=no" width="100%"></iframe>

'Anyone can make war but only the most courageous can make peace,' Trump said. 'The past does not to have to define the future,' he added

"It is a great day and one of the greatest moments in the history of the world," Trump said at&nbspa press conference in Singapore after meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. Trump and Kim had a historic meeting — a sitting US President and a North Korean leader have never met before — at the Capella Hotel on Singapore's Sentosa Island on Tuesday "Kim Jong-Un has the chance to seize a better future for his country. Anyone can make war but only the most courageous can make peace," Trump said at the press conference. "We are prepared for the new history. We are ready to write new chapters. The past does not to have to define the future," he added. Watch Trump's press conference&nbsplive below:

Watch live: Trump says only 'most courageous can make peace' after meeting Kim

US President Donald Trump said he and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un will meet again.&nbsp;

"We'll meet again," Trump said after signing a "comprehensive document" with Kim. "We will meet many times," Trump added.&nbsp;

Trump and Kim met at the Capella Hotel on Singapore's Sentosa Island on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Their meeting was unprecedented. A sitting US President and a North Korean leader have never met — they have never even spoken on the phone.&nbsp;

Trump said after his meeting with Kim — they first had a one on one that lasted a little less than 50 minutes, followed by another meeting attended by aides — that it had gonen off "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-summit-with-north-koreas-kim-better-than-anybody-expected-143755">better than anybody could have expected</a>".&nbsp;

'We will meet many times,' Trump added after signing a comprehensive document' with Kim

US President Donald Trump said he and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un will meet again. "We'll meet again," Trump said after signing a "comprehensive document" with Kim. "We will meet many times," Trump added. Trump and Kim met at the Capella Hotel on Singapore's Sentosa Island on Tuesday. Their meeting was unprecedented. A sitting US President and a North Korean leader have never met — they have never even spoken on the phone. Trump said after his meeting with Kim — they first had a one on one that lasted a little less than 50 minutes, followed by another meeting attended by aides — that it had gonen off "better than anybody could have expected".

'We'll meet again,' Trump says of Kim

U.S. and North Korean officials were in talks in Singapore on Monday in a late bid to narrow differences before their leaders hold an unprecedented summit meeting aimed at finding ways to end a nuclear stand-off on the Korean peninsula.

North Korea's Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in the tropical city-state on Sunday for the historic meeting, which will be the first time leaders of the two countries have come face-to-face.

Key gaps remain over what denuclearisation would entail for two countries that have been enemies since the 1950-1953 Korean War, and the officials were trying to push the agenda forward before the leaders meet on Tuesday.

Commenting for the first time on the agenda, North Korea's state-run KCNA news agency said the two sides would exchange "wide-ranging and profound views" to re-set relations. It heralded the summit as part of a "changed era".

Discussions would focus on "the issue of building a permanent and durable peace-keeping mechanism on the Korean Peninsula, the issue of realising the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and other issues of mutual concern," KCNA said.

In the lead up to the summit, North Korea rejected any unilateral nuclear disarmament, and KCNA's reference to denuclearisation of the peninsula has historically meant that Pyongyang wants the United States to remove its "nuclear umbrella" protecting South Korea and Japan.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is also in Singapore, said in a tweet that Washington was "committed to the complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula".

Many experts on North Korea, one of the most insular and unpredictable countries in the world, remain sceptical Kim will ever completely abandon its cherished nuclear weapons. They believe Kim's latest engagement is aimed at getting the United States to ease the crippling sanctions that have squeezed the impoverished country.

A Trump administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. side was entering the talks with a sense of optimism and an equal dose of scepticism given North Korea's long history of developing nuclear weapons.

"We will not be surprised by any scenario," said the official.

With the eyes of the world following him, Trump flew into Singapore's Paya Lebar Air Base aboard Air Force One on Sunday, fresh from a divisive G7 meeting in Canada with some of Washington's closest allies that further strained global trade ties.

Asked by a reporter how he felt about the summit, Trump said: "Very good".

In a tweet on Monday, he said: "Great to be in Singapore, excitement in the air!"

Kim had arrived hours earlier in a plane loaned by China, which for decades has been North Korea's only major ally. Both leaders were greeted on arrival by Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

The summit's venue is the Capella hotel on Sentosa, a resort island off Singapore's port with luxury hotels, a Universal Studios theme park and man-made beaches.

Trump, speaking in Canada on Saturday, said any agreement at the summit would be "spur of the moment," underscoring the uncertain outcome of what he called a "mission of peace".

He initially touted the potential for a grand bargain with North Korea to rid itself of a nuclear missile programme that has advanced rapidly to threaten the United States.

But he has since lowered expectations, backing away from an original demand for North Korea's swift denuclearisation.

He has said the talks would be more about starting a relationship with Kim for a negotiating process that would take more than one summit.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said U.S. and North Korean officials would hold working-level talks on Monday. She said the U.S. delegation would be led by Sung Kim, a veteran diplomat who recently held talks with North Korean officials.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Monday's meeting appeared aimed at making 11th-hour progress ahead of the summit since Sung Kim's earlier talks did little to narrow a gap between the two sides on the definition of denuclearisation or win agreement on tangible commitments from Pyongyang toward dismantling its nuclear arsenal.

Trump is to meet Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday while Kim has no official agenda.

Kim arrived at Singapore's Changi Airport after his longest trip overseas as head of state, wearing his trademark dark "Mao suit" and distinctive high-cut hairstyle. He has not left his country since taking office in 2011 other than to visit China and the South Korean side of the border Demilitarised Zone.

Travelling with him were top officials including Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, Defence Minister No Kwang Chol and Kim Yong Chol, a close aide of Kim who has been instrumental in the diplomacy that culminated in Tuesday's summit.

Kim Yo Jong, leader Kim's younger sister, was also spotted in his delegation. She emerged as an influential figure in Pyongyang's opaque leadership in February, when she led a North Korean delegation to the Winter Olympics in South Korea.

Officials who arrived with Trump include Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.

Bolton’s hardline rhetoric last month infuriated North Korea and nearly derailed the summit. He called for North Korea to follow a "Libya model" in negotiations. Libya unilaterally surrendered its nuclear weapons programme in 2003, but its leader, Muammar Gaddafi, was killed in 2011 by NATO-backed rebels.

North Korea's Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in the tropical city-state on Sunday for the historic meeting, which will be the first time leaders of the two countries have come face-to-face

U.S. and North Korean officials were in talks in Singapore on Monday in a late bid to narrow differences before their leaders hold an unprecedented summit meeting aimed at finding ways to end a nuclear stand-off on the Korean peninsula. North Korea's Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in the tropical city-state on Sunday for the historic meeting, which will be the first time leaders of the two countries have come face-to-face. Key gaps remain over what denuclearisation would entail for two countries that have been enemies since the 1950-1953 Korean War, and the officials were trying to push the agenda forward before the leaders meet on Tuesday. Commenting for the first time on the agenda, North Korea's state-run KCNA news agency said the two sides would exchange "wide-ranging and profound views" to re-set relations. It heralded the summit as part of a "changed era". Discussions would focus on "the issue of building a permanent and durable peace-keeping mechanism on the Korean Peninsula, the issue of realising the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and other issues of mutual concern," KCNA said. In the lead up to the summit, North Korea rejected any unilateral nuclear disarmament, and KCNA's reference to denuclearisation of the peninsula has historically meant that Pyongyang wants the United States to remove its "nuclear umbrella" protecting South Korea and Japan. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is also in Singapore, said in a tweet that Washington was "committed to the complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula". Many experts on North Korea, one of the most insular and unpredictable countries in the world, remain sceptical Kim will ever completely abandon its cherished nuclear weapons. They believe Kim's latest engagement is aimed at getting the United States to ease the crippling sanctions that have squeezed the impoverished country. A Trump administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. side was entering the talks with a sense of optimism and an equal dose of scepticism given North Korea's long history of developing nuclear weapons. "We will not be surprised by any scenario," said the official. With the eyes of the world following him, Trump flew into Singapore's Paya Lebar Air Base aboard Air Force One on Sunday, fresh from a divisive G7 meeting in Canada with some of Washington's closest allies that further strained global trade ties. Asked by a reporter how he felt about the summit, Trump said: "Very good". In a tweet on Monday, he said: "Great to be in Singapore, excitement in the air!" Kim had arrived hours earlier in a plane loaned by China, which for decades has been North Korea's only major ally. Both leaders were greeted on arrival by Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. The summit's venue is the Capella hotel on Sentosa, a resort island off Singapore's port with luxury hotels, a Universal Studios theme park and man-made beaches. Trump, speaking in Canada on Saturday, said any agreement at the summit would be "spur of the moment," underscoring the uncertain outcome of what he called a "mission of peace". He initially touted the potential for a grand bargain with North Korea to rid itself of a nuclear missile programme that has advanced rapidly to threaten the United States. But he has since lowered expectations, backing away from an original demand for North Korea's swift denuclearisation. He has said the talks would be more about starting a relationship with Kim for a negotiating process that would take more than one summit. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said U.S. and North Korean officials would hold working-level talks on Monday. She said the U.S. delegation would be led by Sung Kim, a veteran diplomat who recently held talks with North Korean officials. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Monday's meeting appeared aimed at making 11th-hour progress ahead of the summit since Sung Kim's earlier talks did little to narrow a gap between the two sides on the definition of denuclearisation or win agreement on tangible commitments from Pyongyang toward dismantling its nuclear arsenal. Trump is to meet Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday while Kim has no official agenda. Kim arrived at Singapore's Changi Airport after his longest trip overseas as head of state, wearing his trademark dark "Mao suit" and distinctive high-cut hairstyle. He has not left his country since taking office in 2011 other than to visit China and the South Korean side of the border Demilitarised Zone. Travelling with him were top officials including Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, Defence Minister No Kwang Chol and Kim Yong Chol, a close aide of Kim who has been instrumental in the diplomacy that culminated in Tuesday's summit. Kim Yo Jong, leader Kim's younger sister, was also spotted in his delegation. She emerged as an influential figure in Pyongyang's opaque leadership in February, when she led a North Korean delegation to the Winter Olympics in South Korea. Officials who arrived with Trump include Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders. Bolton’s hardline rhetoric last month infuriated North Korea and nearly derailed the summit. He called for North Korea to follow a "Libya model" in negotiations. Libya unilaterally surrendered its nuclear weapons programme in 2003, but its leader, Muammar Gaddafi, was killed in 2011 by NATO-backed rebels.

North Korean, US officials meet to narrow differences on eve of Trump-Kim summit

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Shashi Tharoor has been summoned, as the accused, by a Patiala House court in the Sunanda Pushkar death case. Tharoor has been asked to appear before the court on July 7.&nbsp;

The Congress leader has been asked to appear before the court on the morning of July 7. Tharoor is currently in London but is likely to return to India soon.

 
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Archbishop of Goa and Daman Father Filipe Neri Ferrao has said that the Constitution is in danger and that many people are living in an atmosphere of insecurity.

In a letter addressed to Christians, he said the Constitution should be understood better as general elections are drawing closer. The archbishop also said that human rights are under attack and democracy appears to be in peril.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bengaluru-ola-driver-allegedly-molests-passenger-forces-her-to-strip-142425">Bengaluru: Ola driver allegedly molests passenger, forces her to strip</a>

A 26-year-old woman was allegedly molested in Bengaluru by an Ola driver who forced her to strip, news reports said Tuesday.&nbsp;

The news reports said the Ola driver got the woman to strip by threatening to call his friends and have her gang-raped if she did not do his bidding. The driver then allegedly took photos of the woman.&nbsp;

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-kims-singapore-summit-to-be-guarded-by-gurkhas-142378">Trump-Kim Singapore summit to be guarded by Gurkhas</a>

When US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meet for their historic summit in Singapore later this month, they will be protected by men from one of the fiercest warrior tribes in the world — the Gurkhas of Nepal.

While both leaders will bring their own personal security teams, elite Singaporean police, including its Gurkha Contingent, will be securing the summit venue, roads and hotels, according to diplomats familiar with VIP security in the island state.

 
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Priyanka Chopra's TV series Quantico has run into controversy. The series, which is in its third season now, had an episode where ‘Indian nationalists’ plot a terrorist attack in Manhattan with the intention of blaming it on Pakistan.

The episode has been slammed by Indians on Twitter.&nbsp;

Delhi court summons Shashi Tharoor as the accused in Sunanda Pushkar death case Shashi Tharoor has been summoned, as the accused, by a Patiala House court in the Sunanda Pushkar death case. Tharoor has been asked to appear before the court on July 7. The Congress leader has been asked to appear before the court on the morning of July 7. Tharoor is currently in London but is likely to return to India soon. Constitution in danger, most people living in insecurity: Archbishop of Goa Archbishop of Goa and Daman Father Filipe Neri Ferrao has said that the Constitution is in danger and that many people are living in an atmosphere of insecurity. In a letter addressed to Christians, he said the Constitution should be understood better as general elections are drawing closer. The archbishop also said that human rights are under attack and democracy appears to be in peril. Bengaluru: Ola driver allegedly molests passenger, forces her to strip A 26-year-old woman was allegedly molested in Bengaluru by an Ola driver who forced her to strip, news reports said Tuesday. The news reports said the Ola driver got the woman to strip by threatening to call his friends and have her gang-raped if she did not do his bidding. The driver then allegedly took photos of the woman. Trump-Kim Singapore summit to be guarded by Gurkhas When US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meet for their historic summit in Singapore later this month, they will be protected by men from one of the fiercest warrior tribes in the world — the Gurkhas of Nepal. While both leaders will bring their own personal security teams, elite Singaporean police, including its Gurkha Contingent, will be securing the summit venue, roads and hotels, according to diplomats familiar with VIP security in the island state. Priyanka Chopra's 'Quantico' slammed on Twitter for showing Indians as terrorists Priyanka Chopra's TV series Quantico has run into controversy. The series, which is in its third season now, had an episode where ‘Indian nationalists’ plot a terrorist attack in Manhattan with the intention of blaming it on Pakistan. The episode has been slammed by Indians on Twitter.

News brief: Big stories of the day

When US&nbspPresident Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meet for their historic summit in Singapore later this month, they will be protected by men from one of the fiercest warrior tribes in the world - the Gurkhas of Nepal. 
 
While both leaders will bring their own personal security teams, elite Singaporean police, including its Gurkha Contingent, will be securing the summit venue, roads and hotels, according to diplomats familiar with VIP security in the island state. 
 
The Gurkhas, who have a low-profile presence in Singapore, were more visible than usual at the weekend as they&nbspsecured the Shangri-La Hotel&nbspfor a security conference that included Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and other regional ministers. 
 
The Gurkhas, recruited by the Singapore police from the hills of faraway Nepal, were kitted out in body armour, Belgian-made FN SCAR combat assault rifles and pistols in leg holsters at the conference, in what some security experts believed was a dry run for the U.S.-North Korea summit.

Despite all the advanced weaponry, the Gurkhas do not prepare for battle without the khukri - the heavy curved knife that is their traditional weapon of choice. According to custom, the khukri must draw blood every time it is unsheathed. 
 
"They are among the best Singapore can offer, and I am sure they will be involved (in the summit)," said Tim Huxley, an expert on Singapore's armed forces at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). 
 
"They remain very much a substantial and frontline force, and the demands of this kind of event are precisely the sort of special operation that the Gurkhas are trained to handle," he said. 
 
A spokesman for the Singapore police declined to comment on the deployment of the Gurkhas or their numbers. 
 
The IISS Military Balance says 1,800 Gurkhas serve in the Singapore police, across six paramilitary companies. 
 
A&nbsplegacy in part of the British colonial era&nbspand more recent pragmatic Singaporean leadership, Singapore's Gurkhas are linked to a British tradition that has recruited and paid for elite regiments of soldiers from Nepal for more than 200 years.

Beaten back by the Gurkhas in the 19th century Anglo-Nepalese War and admired for their valour and fighting skills, the colonial British then began to recruit them. Now Gurkhas serve in the British, Indian and Nepalese armies, as well as in Brunei and Singapore. 
 
They have fought in both world wars as well as the Falklands conflict and, more recently, in Afghanistan. 
 
Huxley said the Gurkhas had long proven to be an asset to Singapore's leadership, providing a neutral force within an ethnically diverse city-state, including VIP and anti-riot protection. 
 
At times of regional tension, they have protected international schools, and are often seen at the Malaysia-Singapore border crossings. 
 
The Singapore Police website describes the group as "tough, vigilant and steadfast" that operates "across the spectrum of paramilitary operations to help safeguard Singapore".

They live with their families in the secure Mount Vernon Camp outside the city, an enclave that ordinary Singaporeans are not allowed to enter. 
 
A woman married to a Gurkha who lived in the camp said life there was restricted. 
 
"We have a curfew of 12 midnight," she said. "For women, we can let them know if we have a genuine reason to stay out, for men, there is no excuse. 
 
"One of the rules we have is that we have to be in bed by 10.30 p.m. every night. This means no music, no nothing. Even if we have a party, we need to stop. If not, there will be some form of enforcement by the people patrolling." 
 
Typically recruited at 18 or 19 before being trained in Singapore, the Gurkha soldiers retire at 45 when they are repatriated. While their children attend local schools, Gurkhas are not allowed to marry local women. 
 
A handful of ex-British Army officers serve as sworn-in Singapore police in senior leadership, training and organisational roles.

"Although they are police, the links between the contingent and the British Army remain deep and strong," one British Army officer said. "They are part of a fine tradition."

While both leaders will bring their own personal security teams, elite Singaporean police, including its Gurkha Contingent, will be securing the summit venue, roads and hotels, according to diplomats familiar with VIP security in the island state

When US&nbspPresident Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meet for their historic summit in Singapore later this month, they will be protected by men from one of the fiercest warrior tribes in the world - the Gurkhas of Nepal. While both leaders will bring their own personal security teams, elite Singaporean police, including its Gurkha Contingent, will be securing the summit venue, roads and hotels, according to diplomats familiar with VIP security in the island state. The Gurkhas, who have a low-profile presence in Singapore, were more visible than usual at the weekend as they&nbspsecured the Shangri-La Hotel&nbspfor a security conference that included Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and other regional ministers. The Gurkhas, recruited by the Singapore police from the hills of faraway Nepal, were kitted out in body armour, Belgian-made FN SCAR combat assault rifles and pistols in leg holsters at the conference, in what some security experts believed was a dry run for the U.S.-North Korea summit. Despite all the advanced weaponry, the Gurkhas do not prepare for battle without the khukri - the heavy curved knife that is their traditional weapon of choice. According to custom, the khukri must draw blood every time it is unsheathed. "They are among the best Singapore can offer, and I am sure they will be involved (in the summit)," said Tim Huxley, an expert on Singapore's armed forces at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). "They remain very much a substantial and frontline force, and the demands of this kind of event are precisely the sort of special operation that the Gurkhas are trained to handle," he said. A spokesman for the Singapore police declined to comment on the deployment of the Gurkhas or their numbers. The IISS Military Balance says 1,800 Gurkhas serve in the Singapore police, across six paramilitary companies. A&nbsplegacy in part of the British colonial era&nbspand more recent pragmatic Singaporean leadership, Singapore's Gurkhas are linked to a British tradition that has recruited and paid for elite regiments of soldiers from Nepal for more than 200 years. Beaten back by the Gurkhas in the 19th century Anglo-Nepalese War and admired for their valour and fighting skills, the colonial British then began to recruit them. Now Gurkhas serve in the British, Indian and Nepalese armies, as well as in Brunei and Singapore. They have fought in both world wars as well as the Falklands conflict and, more recently, in Afghanistan. Huxley said the Gurkhas had long proven to be an asset to Singapore's leadership, providing a neutral force within an ethnically diverse city-state, including VIP and anti-riot protection. At times of regional tension, they have protected international schools, and are often seen at the Malaysia-Singapore border crossings. The Singapore Police website describes the group as "tough, vigilant and steadfast" that operates "across the spectrum of paramilitary operations to help safeguard Singapore". They live with their families in the secure Mount Vernon Camp outside the city, an enclave that ordinary Singaporeans are not allowed to enter. A woman married to a Gurkha who lived in the camp said life there was restricted. "We have a curfew of 12 midnight," she said. "For women, we can let them know if we have a genuine reason to stay out, for men, there is no excuse. "One of the rules we have is that we have to be in bed by 10.30 p.m. every night. This means no music, no nothing. Even if we have a party, we need to stop. If not, there will be some form of enforcement by the people patrolling." Typically recruited at 18 or 19 before being trained in Singapore, the Gurkha soldiers retire at 45 when they are repatriated. While their children attend local schools, Gurkhas are not allowed to marry local women. A handful of ex-British Army officers serve as sworn-in Singapore police in senior leadership, training and organisational roles. "Although they are police, the links between the contingent and the British Army remain deep and strong," one British Army officer said. "They are part of a fine tradition."

With khukris and assault rifles, Singapore's Gurkhas to guard Trump-Kim summit

When US&nbsp;President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meet for their historic summit in Singapore later this month, they will be protected by men from one of the fiercest warrior tribes in the world — the Gurkhas of Nepal.

While both leaders will bring their own personal security teams, elite Singaporean police, including its Gurkha Contingent, will be securing the summit venue, roads and hotels, according to diplomats familiar with VIP security in the island state.

The Gurkhas, who have a low-profile presence in Singapore, were more visible than usual at the weekend as they secured the Shangri-La Hotel for a security conference that included Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US&nbsp;Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and other regional ministers.

The Gurkhas, recruited by the Singapore police from the hills of faraway Nepal, were kitted out in body armour, Belgian-made FN SCAR combat assault rifles and pistols in leg holsters at the conference, in what some security experts believed was a dry run for the US-North Korea summit.

Despite all the advanced weaponry, the Gurkhas do not prepare for battle without the khukri&nbsp;— the heavy curved knife that is their traditional weapon of choice. According to custom, the khukri must draw blood every time it is unsheathed.

"They are among the best Singapore can offer, and I am sure they will be involved (in the summit)," said Tim Huxley, an expert on Singapore's armed forces at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

"They remain very much a substantial and frontline force, and the demands of this kind of event are precisely the sort of special operation that the Gurkhas are trained to handle," he said.

A spokesman for the Singapore police declined to comment on the deployment of the Gurkhas or their numbers.

The IISS Military Balance says 1,800 Gurkhas serve in the Singapore police, across six paramilitary companies.

A legacy in part of the British colonial era and more recent pragmatic Singaporean leadership, Singapore's Gurkhas are linked to a British tradition that has recruited and paid for elite regiments of soldiers from Nepal for more than 200 years.

Beaten back by the Gurkhas in the 19th-century Anglo-Nepalese War and admired for their valour and fighting skills, the colonial British then began to recruit them. Now Gurkhas serve in the British, Indian and Nepalese armies, as well as in Brunei and Singapore.

They have fought in both world wars as well as the Falklands conflict and, more recently, in Afghanistan.

<img alt="gurkhas2_0.JPG" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/gurkhas2_0.JPG" width="770" />

(Gurkhas guard the recent Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Image source: Reuters)

'TOUGH, VIGILANT AND STEADFAST'

Huxley said the Gurkhas had long proven to be an asset to Singapore's leadership, providing a neutral force within an ethnically diverse city-state, including VIP and anti-riot protection.

At times of regional tension, they have protected international schools, and are often seen at the Malaysia-Singapore border crossings.

The Singapore Police website describes the group as "tough, vigilant and steadfast" that operates "across the spectrum of paramilitary operations to help safeguard Singapore".

They live with their families in the secure Mount Vernon Camp outside the city, an enclave that ordinary Singaporeans are not allowed to enter.

A woman married to a Gurkha who lived in the camp said life there was restricted.

"We have a curfew of 12 midnight," she said. "For women, we can let them know if we have a genuine reason to stay out, for men, there is no excuse.

"One of the rules we have is that we have to be in bed by 10.30 pm&nbsp;every night. This means no music, no nothing. Even if we have a party, we need to stop. If not, there will be some form of enforcement by the people patrolling."

Typically recruited at 18 or 19 before being trained in Singapore, the Gurkha soldiers retire at 45 when they are repatriated. While their children attend local schools, Gurkhas are not allowed to marry local women.

A handful of ex-British Army officers serve as sworn-in Singapore police in senior leadership, training and organisational roles.

"Although they are police, the links between the contingent and the British Army remain deep and strong," one British Army officer said. "They are part of a fine tradition."

When US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meet for their historic summit in Singapore later this month, they will be protected by men from one of the fiercest warrior tribes in the world — the Gurkhas of Nepal. While both leaders will bring their own personal security teams, elite Singaporean police, including its Gurkha Contingent, will be securing the summit venue, roads and hotels, according to diplomats familiar with VIP security in the island state. The Gurkhas, who have a low-profile presence in Singapore, were more visible than usual at the weekend as they secured the Shangri-La Hotel for a security conference that included Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and other regional ministers. The Gurkhas, recruited by the Singapore police from the hills of faraway Nepal, were kitted out in body armour, Belgian-made FN SCAR combat assault rifles and pistols in leg holsters at the conference, in what some security experts believed was a dry run for the US-North Korea summit. Despite all the advanced weaponry, the Gurkhas do not prepare for battle without the khukri — the heavy curved knife that is their traditional weapon of choice. According to custom, the khukri must draw blood every time it is unsheathed. "They are among the best Singapore can offer, and I am sure they will be involved (in the summit)," said Tim Huxley, an expert on Singapore's armed forces at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). "They remain very much a substantial and frontline force, and the demands of this kind of event are precisely the sort of special operation that the Gurkhas are trained to handle," he said. A spokesman for the Singapore police declined to comment on the deployment of the Gurkhas or their numbers. The IISS Military Balance says 1,800 Gurkhas serve in the Singapore police, across six paramilitary companies. A legacy in part of the British colonial era and more recent pragmatic Singaporean leadership, Singapore's Gurkhas are linked to a British tradition that has recruited and paid for elite regiments of soldiers from Nepal for more than 200 years. Beaten back by the Gurkhas in the 19th-century Anglo-Nepalese War and admired for their valour and fighting skills, the colonial British then began to recruit them. Now Gurkhas serve in the British, Indian and Nepalese armies, as well as in Brunei and Singapore. They have fought in both world wars as well as the Falklands conflict and, more recently, in Afghanistan. (Gurkhas guard the recent Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Image source: Reuters) 'TOUGH, VIGILANT AND STEADFAST' Huxley said the Gurkhas had long proven to be an asset to Singapore's leadership, providing a neutral force within an ethnically diverse city-state, including VIP and anti-riot protection. At times of regional tension, they have protected international schools, and are often seen at the Malaysia-Singapore border crossings. The Singapore Police website describes the group as "tough, vigilant and steadfast" that operates "across the spectrum of paramilitary operations to help safeguard Singapore". They live with their families in the secure Mount Vernon Camp outside the city, an enclave that ordinary Singaporeans are not allowed to enter. A woman married to a Gurkha who lived in the camp said life there was restricted. "We have a curfew of 12 midnight," she said. "For women, we can let them know if we have a genuine reason to stay out, for men, there is no excuse. "One of the rules we have is that we have to be in bed by 10.30 pm every night. This means no music, no nothing. Even if we have a party, we need to stop. If not, there will be some form of enforcement by the people patrolling." Typically recruited at 18 or 19 before being trained in Singapore, the Gurkha soldiers retire at 45 when they are repatriated. While their children attend local schools, Gurkhas are not allowed to marry local women. A handful of ex-British Army officers serve as sworn-in Singapore police in senior leadership, training and organisational roles. "Although they are police, the links between the contingent and the British Army remain deep and strong," one British Army officer said. "They are part of a fine tradition."

Trump-Kim Singapore summit to be guarded by Gurkhas

Singapore will bear some of the cost of the planned summit between US&nbsp;President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, its defence minister Ng Eng Hen said on Saturday, a day after Trump put the meeting back on agenda.

Kim's trip to Singapore, which would be the furthest he would have travelled as leader, poses logistical challenges that are likely to include using Soviet-era aircraft to carry him and his limousine, as well as dozens of security and other staff.

The Washington Post reported earlier that some unresolved logistical issues relating to the summit were who would pay the hotel bills of the leader of the cash-strapped country, whose economy has been squeezed by a series of UN&nbsp;and unilateral sanctions for its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

Singapore, a small but wealthy Southeast Asian city-state, is determined to successfully host the summit and is willing to foot at least some of the bill.

"Obviously yes, but it is a cost that we're willing to bear to play a small part in this historic meeting," Ng told reporters without elaborating, when asked if Singapore will be bearing the cost of the summit, which is scheduled for June 12.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-summit-back-on-but-who-will-pay-for-kims-hotel-room-141802">Trump says summit back on but who will pay for Kim's hotel room?</a>&nbsp;

Kim Chang Son, the de facto chief of staff for the North Korean government was seen this week at The Fullerton, a centrally located, five-star hotel that is a refurbished government building overlooking the Singapore river. Media reports said he was in Singapore to meet US&nbsp;officials to work out logistics for the summit

The Fullerton was North Korea's lodging of choice, the Washington Post said. The presidential suite may set the government back by at least 8,000 Singapore dollars ($6,000) a night, it said.

The hotel declined to povide the room charge for the presidential suite.

There was no confirmation on the location for the meeting between Kim and Trump although there are a number of sites in Singapore that can guarantee security protection, including hotels that have experience hosting high-security events, local media and a Singapore government official said.

Among the potential venues mentioned as the site of the summit include the Shangri-la Hotel, which hosted Indian Prime Minister and defense chiefs from around the world this weekend, and the Capella hotel on the resort island of Sentosa.

The 348-square meter Shangri-la Suite in the Valley Wing of the Shangri-la was priced at S$10,000 for the June 12 night.

The statement was made by Singapore defence minister Ng Eng Hen. One of the tricky questions around the summit has been: Who will pay for Kim Jong-Un's hotel room?

Singapore will bear some of the cost of the planned summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, its defence minister Ng Eng Hen said on Saturday, a day after Trump put the meeting back on agenda. Kim's trip to Singapore, which would be the furthest he would have travelled as leader, poses logistical challenges that are likely to include using Soviet-era aircraft to carry him and his limousine, as well as dozens of security and other staff. The Washington Post reported earlier that some unresolved logistical issues relating to the summit were who would pay the hotel bills of the leader of the cash-strapped country, whose economy has been squeezed by a series of UN and unilateral sanctions for its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Singapore, a small but wealthy Southeast Asian city-state, is determined to successfully host the summit and is willing to foot at least some of the bill. "Obviously yes, but it is a cost that we're willing to bear to play a small part in this historic meeting," Ng told reporters without elaborating, when asked if Singapore will be bearing the cost of the summit, which is scheduled for June 12. Also read: Trump says summit back on but who will pay for Kim's hotel room? Kim Chang Son, the de facto chief of staff for the North Korean government was seen this week at The Fullerton, a centrally located, five-star hotel that is a refurbished government building overlooking the Singapore river. Media reports said he was in Singapore to meet US officials to work out logistics for the summit The Fullerton was North Korea's lodging of choice, the Washington Post said. The presidential suite may set the government back by at least 8,000 Singapore dollars ($6,000) a night, it said. The hotel declined to povide the room charge for the presidential suite. There was no confirmation on the location for the meeting between Kim and Trump although there are a number of sites in Singapore that can guarantee security protection, including hotels that have experience hosting high-security events, local media and a Singapore government official said. Among the potential venues mentioned as the site of the summit include the Shangri-la Hotel, which hosted Indian Prime Minister and defense chiefs from around the world this weekend, and the Capella hotel on the resort island of Sentosa. The 348-square meter Shangri-la Suite in the Valley Wing of the Shangri-la was priced at S$10,000 for the June 12 night.

Singapore will bear some costs of Trump-Kim summit: Defence Minister

Trump announced early Saturday morning that his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un was back on.&nbsp

He made his announcement after meeting at the White House with Kim's right-hand man Kim Yong Chol.&nbsp

Chol delivered a letter from Kim to Trump, after which Trump said the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/historic-summit-with-north-koreas-kim-jong-un-is-back-on-for-june-12-in-singapore-donald-trump-141676">summit was back on</a>.&nbsp

Trump had only last week called off the summit citing "open hostility" from Kim

Trump and Kim will now be meeting — as planned earlier — on June 12 in Singapore.&nbsp

News reports said the two sides — the US and North Korea — are currently and furiously planning the summit on an island resort off Singapore.&nbsp

The reports said the discussions between the two sides are being spearheaded by the White House deputy chief of staff Joe Hagin and Kim's de-facto chief of staff, Kim Chang Son.&nbsp

One of the questions the two sides are grappling with is: Who is going to pay for Kim's hotel room?&nbsp

The reports said North Korea would like for Kim to be put up at Singapore's Fullerton hotel, described as a magnificient neoclassical hotel where just one presidential suite costs more than Rs 4 lakh a night.&nbsp

<img alt="the fullerton.jpg" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/the%20fullerton.jpg" width="770" />

(The Fullerton hotel. Image source: Wikimedia Commons)

The reports added that the US is open to paying Kim's bills but that North Korea might view that as an insult.&nbsp

The compromise that is then reportedly being worked out is that the US might ask Singapore — the host nation — to pay for Kim's room.&nbsp

North Korea would like for Kim to be put up at Singapore's Fullerton hotel, described as a magnificient neoclassical hotel where just one presidential suite costs more than Rs 4 lakh a night

Trump announced early Saturday morning that his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un was back on. He made his announcement after meeting at the White House with Kim's right-hand man Kim Yong Chol. Chol delivered a letter from Kim to Trump, after which Trump said the summit was back on. Trump had only last week called off the summit citing "open hostility" from Kim Trump and Kim will now be meeting — as planned earlier — on June 12 in Singapore. News reports said the two sides — the US and North Korea — are currently and furiously planning the summit on an island resort off Singapore. The reports said the discussions between the two sides are being spearheaded by the White House deputy chief of staff Joe Hagin and Kim's de-facto chief of staff, Kim Chang Son. One of the questions the two sides are grappling with is: Who is going to pay for Kim's hotel room? The reports said North Korea would like for Kim to be put up at Singapore's Fullerton hotel, described as a magnificient neoclassical hotel where just one presidential suite costs more than Rs 4 lakh a night. (The Fullerton hotel. Image source: Wikimedia Commons) The reports added that the US is open to paying Kim's bills but that North Korea might view that as an insult. The compromise that is then reportedly being worked out is that the US might ask Singapore — the host nation — to pay for Kim's room.

Trump says summit back on but who will pay for Kim's hotel room? 

The issue of US troops stationed in South Korea will not be "on the table" at a summit between President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Saturday.

"That issue is not on the table here in Singapore on the 12th (of June), nor should it be," he said at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a security summit in Singapore, referring to the scheduled date of the Trump-Kim meeting.

There are currently some 28,500 US forces based in the South.

Trump said Friday he will meet Kim for the historic summit as originally scheduled after extraordinary Oval Office talks with a top envoy from Pyongyang.

Trump told reporters that denuclearisation -- and a formal end to the decades-old Korean war -- would be on the table in Singapore.

However, Mattis stressed that "any discussion about the number of US troops in the Republic of Korea is subject to... the Republic of Korea's invitation to have them there, and the discussions between the United States and the Republic of Korea, separate and distinct from the negotiations that are going on with DPRK (North Korea).

"That issue will not come up in the discussion with DPRK."

But he added: "Obviously if the diplomats can do their work, if we can reduce the threat, if we can restore confidence-building measures with something verifiable, then, of course, these kinds of issues can come up subsequently between (South Korea and the US)."

Last month, South Korean President Moon Jae-in dismissed claims that US troops stationed in the country -- based on Seoul's alliance with Washington -- would have to leave if a peace treaty was signed with the North.

The issue of US troops stationed in South Korea will not be "on the table" at a summit between President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Saturday

The issue of US troops stationed in South Korea will not be "on the table" at a summit between President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Saturday. "That issue is not on the table here in Singapore on the 12th (of June), nor should it be," he said at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a security summit in Singapore, referring to the scheduled date of the Trump-Kim meeting. There are currently some 28,500 US forces based in the South. Trump said Friday he will meet Kim for the historic summit as originally scheduled after extraordinary Oval Office talks with a top envoy from Pyongyang. Trump told reporters that denuclearisation -- and a formal end to the decades-old Korean war -- would be on the table in Singapore. However, Mattis stressed that "any discussion about the number of US troops in the Republic of Korea is subject to... the Republic of Korea's invitation to have them there, and the discussions between the United States and the Republic of Korea, separate and distinct from the negotiations that are going on with DPRK (North Korea). "That issue will not come up in the discussion with DPRK." But he added: "Obviously if the diplomats can do their work, if we can reduce the threat, if we can restore confidence-building measures with something verifiable, then, of course, these kinds of issues can come up subsequently between (South Korea and the US)." Last month, South Korean President Moon Jae-in dismissed claims that US troops stationed in the country -- based on Seoul's alliance with Washington -- would have to leave if a peace treaty was signed with the North.

US troop presence in South Korea not 'on table' at Trump-Kim summit: Mattis

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the fate of a landmark summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un will be decided "next week," as aides traveled to Singapore on a preparatory mission.

"On Singapore we'll see. It could very well happen," Trump said of the on-again-off-again June 12 meeting that has been as keenly teased as any of his "The Apprentice" season finales.

"Whatever it is, we'll know next week about Singapore. If we go, I think it will be a great thing for North Korea," Trump said at the White House.&nbsp

Aides are traveling to the South East Asian city, ostensibly to meet their North Korean counterparts and iron out details of the meeting.

Trump said of the on-again-off-again June 12 meeting that has been as keenly teased as any of his "The Apprentice" season finales.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the fate of a landmark summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un will be decided "next week," as aides traveled to Singapore on a preparatory mission. "On Singapore we'll see. It could very well happen," Trump said of the on-again-off-again June 12 meeting that has been as keenly teased as any of his "The Apprentice" season finales. "Whatever it is, we'll know next week about Singapore. If we go, I think it will be a great thing for North Korea," Trump said at the White House. Aides are traveling to the South East Asian city, ostensibly to meet their North Korean counterparts and iron out details of the meeting.

We'll know next week about Singapore meet with Kim: Trump

A cloud has gathered over the upcoming North Korea-United States summit in the wake of recent military drills between South Korea and the US.

After calling off Wednesday a scheduled Korean summit, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, according to media reports, has also hinted at calling off the United States summit which is scheduled to take place on June 12 in Singapore.

A report on North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency angrily attacked the "Max Thunder" air combat drills, which it said involved US stealth fighters and B-52 bombers, and appeared to mark a break in months of warming ties between North and South Korea and between Pyongyang and Washington.

Any cancellation of the June 12 summit in Singapore, the first meeting between a serving US&nbsp;president and a North Korean leader, would deal a major blow to Trump’s efforts to score the biggest diplomatic achievement of his presidency.

Trump has raised expectations for a successful meeting even as many analysts have been sceptical of the chances of bridging the gap due to questions about North Korea’s willingness to give up a nuclear arsenal that now threatens the United States.

The KCNA report called the air drills a "provocation" that went against the trend of warming ties.

"This exercise, targeting us, which is being carried out across South Korea, is a flagrant challenge to the Panmunjom Declaration and an intentional military provocation running counter to the positive political development on the Korean Peninsula," KCNA said, referring to a joint statement from an April 27 inter-Korea summit.

"The United States will also have to undertake careful deliberations about the fate of the planned North Korea-US summit in light of this provocative military ruckus jointly conducted with the South Korean authorities," KCNA said.

A Trump-Kim summit until recently had looked impossible given the insults and threats the two leaders exchanged last year over North Korea`s development of nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States.

"Kim Jong Un had said previously that he understands the need and the utility of the United States and the Republic of Korea continuing in its joint exercises," US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told a briefing.

"We have not heard anything from that government or the government of South Korea to indicate that we would not continue conducting these exercises or that we would not continue planning for our meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong Un next month," she said.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the United States would examine the North Korean statement "and continue to coordinate closely with our allies."

South Korea`s National Security Office head Chung Eui-Yong said in early March, after meeting Kim, that the North Korean leader understood that "routine" joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States would continue in spite of a warming of ties.

This was widely considered to be a major North Korea concession, though Pyongyang never publicly withdrew its long-standing demand for an end to the drills.

Kim’s latest move could be aimed at testing Trump’s willingness to make concessions ahead of the summit, which is due to be preceded by a visit to Washington next week by South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

A U.S. government expert on North Korea said Kim may also be trying to gauge whether Trump is willing to walk away from the meeting, which has prompted the president’s supporters to suggest he deserves to win a Nobel Peace Prize.

Any acquiescence by Trump to a North Korean demand for a halt to joint drills would likely undermine South Korean and Japanese trust in his commitment to their security. Kim has also shown a desire to win international approval for his diplomatic outreach, and any sign that he is sabotaging the talks could damage this effort.

SUSPENDED NORTH-SOUTH MEETING

KCNA said North Korea was suspending a ministerial-level North-South meeting, which had been due to be held on Wednesday to focus on plans to implement the inter-Korea summit declaration, including promises to formally end the Korean War and pursue "complete denuclearization".

"The US&nbsp;should make efforts to create an atmosphere for mutual respect and confidence before dialogue, not resorting to a foolish farce that may reverse the good trend created with much effort," KCNA said.

The Pentagon said the May 14-25 “Max Thunder” exercises were routine and defensive in nature. A spokesman said the exercises would take place at Gwangju air base and would be "at a scale similar to that of the previous years".

Last year, Max Thunder involved about 1,500 U.S. and South Korean personnel flying aircraft including F-16 fighter jets, according to a US&nbsp;Air Force website.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday the United States would agree to lift sanctions on North Korea if it agreed to completely dismantle its nuclear weapons program, a move that would create economic prosperity that would rival that of South Korea.

North Korea said on Saturday it would dismantle its nuclear bomb test site sometime between May 23 and May 25 to uphold its pledge to cease tests.

Joshua Pollack, of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California, said Pyongyang appeared irritated by the U.S. administration`s vow to maintain sanctions in spite of North Korean concessions.

"The North Koreans want a change in tone from the U.S., and at least so far, they`re not hearing one," he said.

A South Korean presidential adviser warned on Tuesday that an incremental North Korean approach to denuclearization would not be acceptable to Trump or the South Korean public.

Bonnie Glaser, of Washington`s Center for Strategic and International Studies, think tank, said Kim may be being influenced by Chinese President Xi Jinping after two recent meetings with the Chinese leader, who has advocated a freeze in North Korea's nuclear program in return for a freeze in U.S.-South Korean drills.

"The fact this issue is back on the table suggests Xi Jinping may have raised it with Kim, and that Kim is carrying Xi’s water," she said.

North Korean talks with South Korea were called off because of military drills between South Korea and the US

A cloud has gathered over the upcoming North Korea-United States summit in the wake of recent military drills between South Korea and the US. After calling off Wednesday a scheduled Korean summit, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, according to media reports, has also hinted at calling off the United States summit which is scheduled to take place on June 12 in Singapore. A report on North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency angrily attacked the "Max Thunder" air combat drills, which it said involved US stealth fighters and B-52 bombers, and appeared to mark a break in months of warming ties between North and South Korea and between Pyongyang and Washington. Any cancellation of the June 12 summit in Singapore, the first meeting between a serving US president and a North Korean leader, would deal a major blow to Trump’s efforts to score the biggest diplomatic achievement of his presidency. Trump has raised expectations for a successful meeting even as many analysts have been sceptical of the chances of bridging the gap due to questions about North Korea’s willingness to give up a nuclear arsenal that now threatens the United States. The KCNA report called the air drills a "provocation" that went against the trend of warming ties. "This exercise, targeting us, which is being carried out across South Korea, is a flagrant challenge to the Panmunjom Declaration and an intentional military provocation running counter to the positive political development on the Korean Peninsula," KCNA said, referring to a joint statement from an April 27 inter-Korea summit. "The United States will also have to undertake careful deliberations about the fate of the planned North Korea-US summit in light of this provocative military ruckus jointly conducted with the South Korean authorities," KCNA said. A Trump-Kim summit until recently had looked impossible given the insults and threats the two leaders exchanged last year over North Korea`s development of nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States. "Kim Jong Un had said previously that he understands the need and the utility of the United States and the Republic of Korea continuing in its joint exercises," US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told a briefing. "We have not heard anything from that government or the government of South Korea to indicate that we would not continue conducting these exercises or that we would not continue planning for our meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong Un next month," she said. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the United States would examine the North Korean statement "and continue to coordinate closely with our allies." South Korea`s National Security Office head Chung Eui-Yong said in early March, after meeting Kim, that the North Korean leader understood that "routine" joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States would continue in spite of a warming of ties. This was widely considered to be a major North Korea concession, though Pyongyang never publicly withdrew its long-standing demand for an end to the drills. Kim’s latest move could be aimed at testing Trump’s willingness to make concessions ahead of the summit, which is due to be preceded by a visit to Washington next week by South Korean President Moon Jae-in. A U.S. government expert on North Korea said Kim may also be trying to gauge whether Trump is willing to walk away from the meeting, which has prompted the president’s supporters to suggest he deserves to win a Nobel Peace Prize. Any acquiescence by Trump to a North Korean demand for a halt to joint drills would likely undermine South Korean and Japanese trust in his commitment to their security. Kim has also shown a desire to win international approval for his diplomatic outreach, and any sign that he is sabotaging the talks could damage this effort. SUSPENDED NORTH-SOUTH MEETING KCNA said North Korea was suspending a ministerial-level North-South meeting, which had been due to be held on Wednesday to focus on plans to implement the inter-Korea summit declaration, including promises to formally end the Korean War and pursue "complete denuclearization". "The US should make efforts to create an atmosphere for mutual respect and confidence before dialogue, not resorting to a foolish farce that may reverse the good trend created with much effort," KCNA said. The Pentagon said the May 14-25 “Max Thunder” exercises were routine and defensive in nature. A spokesman said the exercises would take place at Gwangju air base and would be "at a scale similar to that of the previous years". Last year, Max Thunder involved about 1,500 U.S. and South Korean personnel flying aircraft including F-16 fighter jets, according to a US Air Force website. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday the United States would agree to lift sanctions on North Korea if it agreed to completely dismantle its nuclear weapons program, a move that would create economic prosperity that would rival that of South Korea. North Korea said on Saturday it would dismantle its nuclear bomb test site sometime between May 23 and May 25 to uphold its pledge to cease tests. Joshua Pollack, of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California, said Pyongyang appeared irritated by the U.S. administration`s vow to maintain sanctions in spite of North Korean concessions. "The North Koreans want a change in tone from the U.S., and at least so far, they`re not hearing one," he said. A South Korean presidential adviser warned on Tuesday that an incremental North Korean approach to denuclearization would not be acceptable to Trump or the South Korean public. Bonnie Glaser, of Washington`s Center for Strategic and International Studies, think tank, said Kim may be being influenced by Chinese President Xi Jinping after two recent meetings with the Chinese leader, who has advocated a freeze in North Korea's nuclear program in return for a freeze in U.S.-South Korean drills. "The fact this issue is back on the table suggests Xi Jinping may have raised it with Kim, and that Kim is carrying Xi’s water," she said.

North Korea calls off talks with South, says may do same with Trump-Kim summit

US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced his historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will take place in Singapore on June 12.

"We will both try to make it a very special moment for World Peace!" Trump said in a tweeted announcement.

The location and date of the summit -- the first ever between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader -- were revealed hours after three American prisoners were released by North Korea and arrived back in the United States.

Officials said that step removed the last major obstacle to the nuclear-focused summit, providing Trump with tangible evidence that his policy of engagement was reaping rewards.

The small Southeast Asian city state of Singapore has long acted as a bridge between the United States and China.&nbsp;

The Trump-Kim summit has no precedent in US-North Korean relations. No US president has met with his North Korean counterpart while in office.

Despite the optimism of that moment, a deal to limit North Korea's nuclear program ultimately failed.

A decade on, the nuclear threat with North Korea has only grown, with the country believed to be on the cusp of developing intercontinental ballistic missile that could deliver a nuclear warhead to the continental United States.

Trump has vowed that he will not let that happen and has demanded that North Korea give up its nukes.

So far the regime has not indicated it is willing to do that. Hardliners are likely see possession of a nuke as the only guarantee against US-led efforts to topple the regime.

Pyongyang has yet to indicate its price for any move toward denuclearization and may yet demand US troops withdraw from South Korea as a quid pro quo.

That complex strategic puzzle will be the focus of the June 12 summit between two relatively new and untested leaders.

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The highly anticipated meeting between Kim Jong Un and myself will take place in Singapore on June 12th. We will both try to make it a very special moment for World Peace!
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&nbsp;

The Trump-Kim summit has no precedent in US-North Korean relations. No US president has met with his North Korean counterpart while in office

US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced his historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will take place in Singapore on June 12. "We will both try to make it a very special moment for World Peace!" Trump said in a tweeted announcement. The location and date of the summit -- the first ever between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader -- were revealed hours after three American prisoners were released by North Korea and arrived back in the United States. Officials said that step removed the last major obstacle to the nuclear-focused summit, providing Trump with tangible evidence that his policy of engagement was reaping rewards. The small Southeast Asian city state of Singapore has long acted as a bridge between the United States and China. The Trump-Kim summit has no precedent in US-North Korean relations. No US president has met with his North Korean counterpart while in office. Despite the optimism of that moment, a deal to limit North Korea's nuclear program ultimately failed. A decade on, the nuclear threat with North Korea has only grown, with the country believed to be on the cusp of developing intercontinental ballistic missile that could deliver a nuclear warhead to the continental United States. Trump has vowed that he will not let that happen and has demanded that North Korea give up its nukes. So far the regime has not indicated it is willing to do that. Hardliners are likely see possession of a nuke as the only guarantee against US-led efforts to topple the regime. Pyongyang has yet to indicate its price for any move toward denuclearization and may yet demand US troops withdraw from South Korea as a quid pro quo. That complex strategic puzzle will be the focus of the June 12 summit between two relatively new and untested leaders. The highly anticipated meeting between Kim Jong Un and myself will take place in Singapore on June 12th. We will both try to make it a very special moment for World Peace! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2018 × On behalf of the American people, WELCOME HOME! pic.twitter.com/hISaCI95CB — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2018 ×

'Very special moment for World Peace!' Trump tweets, says Kim summit set for Singapore

By&nbsp;Nicholas John Wheeler*,&nbsp;Marcus Holmes**

President Donald Trump&rsquo;s recent announcement that he would meet with Kim Jong-un, leader of the Democratic People&rsquo;s Republic of Korea (DPRK), took the world by surprise. Never before has a sitting US president met with his North Korean counterpart.

The potential consequences of a meeting depend upon your point of view.

Either Trump has walked into a carefully laid trap laid by Kim, in which the North Korean leader will pocket this great concession on the part of his US counterpart and Trump will leave the summit with nothing to show for his bold and impulsive gamble. Or, the US leader has made a bold and daring move that opens the door to the possibility of transforming the conflict on the Korean peninsula &ndash; a conflict frozen in stone since the end of the Korean War in 1953.

The reality will depend on the expectations heaped upon the summit &ndash; and a recognition that the personal chemistry of leaders can sometimes lead to the most surprising of diplomatic breakthroughs. A promise of full denuclearisation is unlikely, but a first step towards reassurance and a meeting that signals both Kim and Trump&rsquo;s peaceful intentions is possible.&nbsp;

Prize of recognition

In agreeing to hold a summit with the North Korean leader, Trump has given Kim the great prize of diplomatic normalisation and legitimacy, sought by his predecessors. This was denied them by presidents George W. Bush and Obama, who saw a summit as a reward that had to be earned by the North Koreans after they had taken concrete and verifiable steps towards nuclear disarmament.

Some have suggested that Kim has already &ldquo;won&rdquo;: even if nothing comes out of the summit, the DPRK will be treated as an equal. The &ldquo;supreme leader&rdquo; of North Korea is dangling the juicy carrot of ultimate denuclearisation in the way his father and grandfather did, but like them, he has made any such disarmament conditional on security guarantees.

The question remains whether there is a non-nuclear path to North Korea&rsquo;s security that is acceptable to its leader. This was an issue that bedevilled, and ultimately derailed, the &ldquo;six party talks&rdquo; of the 2000s. If the North Korean leadership believes all that stands between it and US-led regime change is the DPRK&rsquo;s possession of nuclear weapons, then it would be unwise to stake the success of the summit on how far it achieves the goal of denuclearisation. The fates of Saddam Hussein in Iraq and Muammar Gaddafi in Libya are clear reminders of what happens to leaders who decide to give up nuclear weapons.

But the litmus test of success for the summit should not be judged in terms of whether it achieves an agreement on the DPRK&rsquo;s denuclearisation. Instead, its success should be judged in terms of how far it promotes reassurance between the two leaders that each is committed to achieving a de-escalation of the conflict that recognises the other has legitimate security concerns.&nbsp;

Reagan and Gorbachev: building trust

As we argue in our recent research, face-to-face interaction at the highest levels of diplomacy opens up new possibilities for two leaders to gain a better understanding of each other&rsquo;s intentions, and even to develop a personal relationship of trust. The most successful case of this kind of interpersonal trust-building and reassurance was the diplomatic summitry between US and Soviet leaders Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev.&nbsp;

To be sure, Trump is not Reagan and Kim is no Mikhail Gorbachev. As critics have pointed out, the level of diplomatic preparation at lower levels, as well as the absence of a history of summits between the two parties makes for an imperfect analogy. However, the basic lesson of the Geneva Summit in November 1985 between Reagan and Gorbachev is nevertheless useful.

Its aims were relatively modest: both sides sought and reached agreement that a nuclear war cannot be won, and must never be fought. But what was equally important and ultimately transformational to ending US-Soviet enmity was the personal bond that developed between Reagan and Gorbachev, and the trust that this made possible between these two leaders of formerly enemy states.

If a summit between Trump and Kim could begin a similar process of bonding and trust formation, where each leader recognised that the only security between their two countries was mutual security, then it really could be a game-changer in de-escalating tension on the Korean peninsula. In the end, the lesson of the Reagan-Gorbachev encounters is that neither leader should go into a summit believing that they know what the other&rsquo;s bottom line is. The whole point of face-to-face diplomacy is to try and reshape each side&rsquo;s understanding of the other&rsquo;s intentions in ways that promote trust and mutual security.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

*Nicholas John Wheeler is a professor of International Relations Director of the The Institute for Conflict, Cooperation and Security.&nbsp; 
**Marcus Holmes is an assistant professor of Government, College of William &amp; Mary.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

The basic lesson of the Geneva Summit in November 1985 between Reagan and Gorbachev is nevertheless useful. It needs to be assured that Trump is not Reagan and Kim is no Mikhail Gorbachev.

By Nicholas John Wheeler*, Marcus Holmes** President Donald Trump’s recent announcement that he would meet with Kim Jong-un, leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), took the world by surprise. Never before has a sitting US president met with his North Korean counterpart. The potential consequences of a meeting depend upon your point of view. Either Trump has walked into a carefully laid trap laid by Kim, in which the North Korean leader will pocket this great concession on the part of his US counterpart and Trump will leave the summit with nothing to show for his bold and impulsive gamble. Or, the US leader has made a bold and daring move that opens the door to the possibility of transforming the conflict on the Korean peninsula – a conflict frozen in stone since the end of the Korean War in 1953. The reality will depend on the expectations heaped upon the summit – and a recognition that the personal chemistry of leaders can sometimes lead to the most surprising of diplomatic breakthroughs. A promise of full denuclearisation is unlikely, but a first step towards reassurance and a meeting that signals both Kim and Trump’s peaceful intentions is possible. Prize of recognition In agreeing to hold a summit with the North Korean leader, Trump has given Kim the great prize of diplomatic normalisation and legitimacy, sought by his predecessors. This was denied them by presidents George W. Bush and Obama, who saw a summit as a reward that had to be earned by the North Koreans after they had taken concrete and verifiable steps towards nuclear disarmament. Some have suggested that Kim has already “won”: even if nothing comes out of the summit, the DPRK will be treated as an equal. The “supreme leader” of North Korea is dangling the juicy carrot of ultimate denuclearisation in the way his father and grandfather did, but like them, he has made any such disarmament conditional on security guarantees. The question remains whether there is a non-nuclear path to North Korea’s security that is acceptable to its leader. This was an issue that bedevilled, and ultimately derailed, the “six party talks” of the 2000s. If the North Korean leadership believes all that stands between it and US-led regime change is the DPRK’s possession of nuclear weapons, then it would be unwise to stake the success of the summit on how far it achieves the goal of denuclearisation. The fates of Saddam Hussein in Iraq and Muammar Gaddafi in Libya are clear reminders of what happens to leaders who decide to give up nuclear weapons. But the litmus test of success for the summit should not be judged in terms of whether it achieves an agreement on the DPRK’s denuclearisation. Instead, its success should be judged in terms of how far it promotes reassurance between the two leaders that each is committed to achieving a de-escalation of the conflict that recognises the other has legitimate security concerns. Reagan and Gorbachev: building trust As we argue in our recent research, face-to-face interaction at the highest levels of diplomacy opens up new possibilities for two leaders to gain a better understanding of each other’s intentions, and even to develop a personal relationship of trust. The most successful case of this kind of interpersonal trust-building and reassurance was the diplomatic summitry between US and Soviet leaders Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. To be sure, Trump is not Reagan and Kim is no Mikhail Gorbachev. As critics have pointed out, the level of diplomatic preparation at lower levels, as well as the absence of a history of summits between the two parties makes for an imperfect analogy. However, the basic lesson of the Geneva Summit in November 1985 between Reagan and Gorbachev is nevertheless useful. Its aims were relatively modest: both sides sought and reached agreement that a nuclear war cannot be won, and must never be fought. But what was equally important and ultimately transformational to ending US-Soviet enmity was the personal bond that developed between Reagan and Gorbachev, and the trust that this made possible between these two leaders of formerly enemy states. If a summit between Trump and Kim could begin a similar process of bonding and trust formation, where each leader recognised that the only security between their two countries was mutual security, then it really could be a game-changer in de-escalating tension on the Korean peninsula. In the end, the lesson of the Reagan-Gorbachev encounters is that neither leader should go into a summit believing that they know what the other’s bottom line is. The whole point of face-to-face diplomacy is to try and reshape each side’s understanding of the other’s intentions in ways that promote trust and mutual security. *Nicholas John Wheeler is a professor of International Relations Director of the The Institute for Conflict, Cooperation and Security. **Marcus Holmes is an assistant professor of Government, College of William & Mary. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Lessons for Trump-Kim summit from Reagan, Gorbachev over denuclearisation

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump will not meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un unless Pyongyang takes &quot;concrete actions,&quot; the White House said on Friday as it faced criticism for agreeing to talks that would give North Korea international legitimacy.

&quot;The president will not have the meeting without seeing concrete steps and concrete actions take place by North Korea, so the president will actually be getting something,&quot; White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told a news briefing.

Sanders did not specify what actions North Korea needed to take, and a White House official later said she was not intending to set new conditions for talks with Kim.

But the comments were a sign that an end to a standoff between the two countries over North Korea&#39;s nuclear weapon program is not imminent.

The United States has long said it wants any talks to aim at Pyongyang abandoning its nuclear weapons and missile programs.

Hopes for a breakthrough with North Korea rose on Thursday when Trump said he was prepared to hold an unprecedented meeting with Kim.

The two leaders prompted jitters around the world last year as they exchanged bellicose insults over the North&#39;s attempts to develop a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the United States. Pyongyang has pursued its nuclear program in defiance of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

But tension eased around last month&#39;s Winter Olympics in South Korea, laying the groundwork for what would be the first meeting between leaders from North Korea and the United States, and the biggest foreign policy gamble for Trump since he took office in January last year.

The head of South Korea&#39;s National Security Office, Chung Eui-yong, speaking in Washington on Thursday after briefing Trump about a meeting South Korean officials held with Kim this week, said the US&nbsp;president had agreed to meet the North Korean leader by May in response to an invitation from Kim.

Kim had &quot;committed to denuclearization&quot; and to suspending nuclear and missile tests, Chung said.

Buying time?

A senior State Department official said the talks would likely only be a preliminary discussion about holding future negotiations.

&quot;The expectation is that the talks would lead to a discussion around a conclusion that we&#39;re ready to engage in negotiations,&quot; the official said.

Trump&#39;s sudden decision to meet with Kim stunned even people in his own administration.

Sanders&#39; comments seemed aimed at criticism in the United States that Trump took a misstep by agreeing to talks - thus giving Pyongyang the international legitimacy it seeks - but without earning any big concessions from the North.

&quot;The Administration must go into any meeting with a plan to ensure that negotiations with Kim Jong-un produce real results, not a photo op that lends legitimacy to North Korea&rsquo;s murderous regime,&rdquo; US&nbsp;Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat who is vice chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, said in a statement.

Some US&nbsp;officials and experts worry North Korea could buy time to build up and refine its nuclear arsenal if it drags out talks with Washington.

A White House official said Trump remained committed to a meeting with Kim based on the conditions laid out by South Korea on Thursday: that Kim is committed to denuclearization, will refrain from any further nuclear or missile tests, and understands that US-South Korean military exercises must continue.

&ldquo;(The North Koreans) are saying the right things and we&rsquo;re going to listen to them at the table and we&rsquo;re going to see where this leads,&rdquo; the official said.

No venue or date has been announced for the summit, which is expected to be held in May. Neutral Switzerland, which often hosts summits, said it was ready to facilitate the meeting.

China welcomes talks

A Trump-Kim summit would be a major turnaround after a year in which North Korea has carried out a battery of missile tests that Washington sees as provocative and after a barrage of insults between the two leaders.

US-based experts say North Korea appeared to show last November that it has succeeded in developing a missile capable of delivering a nuclear weapon anywhere in the United States.

Trump has derided Kim as a &quot;maniac,&quot; referred to him as &quot;little rocket man&quot; and threatened in a speech last year to &quot;totally destroy&quot; North Korea, a country of 26 million people, if it attacked the United States or one of its allies.

Kim responded by calling Trump a &quot;mentally deranged US&nbsp;dotard.&quot;

The Trump administration has led a worldwide push to tighten international sanctions on North Korea to choke off resources needed for its weapons programs.

World leaders welcomed prospects for a possible thaw in the Korea standoff including China, which is North Korea&#39;s largest trading partner and its sole major ally.

President Xi Jinping told Trump in a phone call on Friday that he appreciates his desire to resolve the North Korea issue politically, Chinese state media said.

Xi &quot;hopes the United States and North Korea start contacts and dialogue as soon as possible and strive to reach positive results,&quot; the report added.

Sarah Sanders did not specify what actions North Korea needed to take, and a White House official later said she was not intending to set new conditions for talks with Kim

US President Donald Trump will not meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un unless Pyongyang takes "concrete actions," the White House said on Friday as it faced criticism for agreeing to talks that would give North Korea international legitimacy. "The president will not have the meeting without seeing concrete steps and concrete actions take place by North Korea, so the president will actually be getting something," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told a news briefing. Sanders did not specify what actions North Korea needed to take, and a White House official later said she was not intending to set new conditions for talks with Kim. But the comments were a sign that an end to a standoff between the two countries over North Korea's nuclear weapon program is not imminent. The United States has long said it wants any talks to aim at Pyongyang abandoning its nuclear weapons and missile programs. Hopes for a breakthrough with North Korea rose on Thursday when Trump said he was prepared to hold an unprecedented meeting with Kim. The two leaders prompted jitters around the world last year as they exchanged bellicose insults over the North's attempts to develop a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the United States. Pyongyang has pursued its nuclear program in defiance of United Nations Security Council resolutions. But tension eased around last month's Winter Olympics in South Korea, laying the groundwork for what would be the first meeting between leaders from North Korea and the United States, and the biggest foreign policy gamble for Trump since he took office in January last year. The head of South Korea's National Security Office, Chung Eui-yong, speaking in Washington on Thursday after briefing Trump about a meeting South Korean officials held with Kim this week, said the US president had agreed to meet the North Korean leader by May in response to an invitation from Kim. Kim had "committed to denuclearization" and to suspending nuclear and missile tests, Chung said. Buying time? A senior State Department official said the talks would likely only be a preliminary discussion about holding future negotiations. "The expectation is that the talks would lead to a discussion around a conclusion that we're ready to engage in negotiations," the official said. Trump's sudden decision to meet with Kim stunned even people in his own administration. Sanders' comments seemed aimed at criticism in the United States that Trump took a misstep by agreeing to talks - thus giving Pyongyang the international legitimacy it seeks - but without earning any big concessions from the North. "The Administration must go into any meeting with a plan to ensure that negotiations with Kim Jong-un produce real results, not a photo op that lends legitimacy to North Korea’s murderous regime,” US Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat who is vice chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, said in a statement. Some US officials and experts worry North Korea could buy time to build up and refine its nuclear arsenal if it drags out talks with Washington. A White House official said Trump remained committed to a meeting with Kim based on the conditions laid out by South Korea on Thursday: that Kim is committed to denuclearization, will refrain from any further nuclear or missile tests, and understands that US-South Korean military exercises must continue. “(The North Koreans) are saying the right things and we’re going to listen to them at the table and we’re going to see where this leads,” the official said. No venue or date has been announced for the summit, which is expected to be held in May. Neutral Switzerland, which often hosts summits, said it was ready to facilitate the meeting. China welcomes talks A Trump-Kim summit would be a major turnaround after a year in which North Korea has carried out a battery of missile tests that Washington sees as provocative and after a barrage of insults between the two leaders. US-based experts say North Korea appeared to show last November that it has succeeded in developing a missile capable of delivering a nuclear weapon anywhere in the United States. Trump has derided Kim as a "maniac," referred to him as "little rocket man" and threatened in a speech last year to "totally destroy" North Korea, a country of 26 million people, if it attacked the United States or one of its allies. Kim responded by calling Trump a "mentally deranged US dotard." The Trump administration has led a worldwide push to tighten international sanctions on North Korea to choke off resources needed for its weapons programs. World leaders welcomed prospects for a possible thaw in the Korea standoff including China, which is North Korea's largest trading partner and its sole major ally. President Xi Jinping told Trump in a phone call on Friday that he appreciates his desire to resolve the North Korea issue politically, Chinese state media said. Xi "hopes the United States and North Korea start contacts and dialogue as soon as possible and strive to reach positive results," the report added.

US seeks 'concrete actions' from North Korea before planned talks

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