North Korea summit could even be on June 12: President Trump's U-turn

After North Korea reiterated its commitment to talks, US President Donald Trump said that a possible North Korea summit "could even be on the 12th" of June.

"We're going to see what happens. We're talking to them now," Trump told reporters, one day after he cancelled the highly anticipated meeting. "It could even be the 12th ... We'd like to do it."

Asked whether the North Koreans were playing games, Trump acknowledged they were -- and suggested he was too.

"Everybody plays games. You know that," he told reporters when asked about the ongoing talks. "You know that better than anybody."

The US President Donald Trump earlier wrote on Twitter that it was "very good news".

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Hinting at a U-turn after calling off a historic summit with North Korea, the US President had written," we will soon see where it will lead".

"Very good news to receive the warm and productive statement from North Korea. We will soon see where it will lead, hopefully to long and enduring prosperity and peace. Only time (and talent) will tell!," the US President shared on Twitter.

US Defense Secretary James Mattis also said on Friday that a recently scrapped summit between the leaders of the United States and North Korea may still take place if diplomats can pull it off.

"We have got some possibly some good news on the Korea summit, where it may, if our diplomats can pull it off, may have it back on," Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon before a meeting with the Danish defense minister.

North Korea responded on Friday with measured tones to USPresident Donald Trump's decision to call off the summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un scheduled for next month, saying Pyongyang hoped for a "Trump-style solution" to resolve the standoff over its nuclear weapons programme.

On Thursday, Trump wrote a letter to Kim to announce his withdrawal from what would have been the first-ever meeting between a serving USpresident and a North Korean leader in Singapore on June 12.

"Sadly, based on the tremendous anger and open hostility displayed in your most recent statement, I feel it would be inappropriate, at this time, to have this long-planned meeting," Trump wrote.

In a statement, North Korea regretted the cancellation of the summit and said that it was willing to meet anytime in any way.

(With inputs from Reuters)