Thursday night, President Donald Trump agreed to meet with Kim Jong-un by May and the North Korean leader has promised to stop all nuclear tests.
President Trump said that he would sit down with the North Korean leader within the next two months.
The astonishing news followed an invitation from Mr Kim to talk with the U.S. President, which was conveyed to the White House by South Korean officials after their meeting with the North Korean leader earlier this week.
As reported Nick Allen and Nicola Smith
by Chung Eui-yon, the head of South Korea’s National Security Office, said Mr Kim had indicated he was committed to denuclearisation, and had pledged the rogue nation would refrain from nuclear and missile tests.
South Korean National Security Advisor Chung Eui-yong briefs reporters outside the West Wing of the White House
South Korean National Security Advisor Chung Eui-yong briefs reporters outside the West Wing of the White House CREDIT: AFP
The South Korean official, speaking in the White House driveway after meeting Mr Trump, said: “He (Mr Kim) expressed his eagerness to meet President Trump as soon as possible.
“President Trump appreciated the briefing, and said he would meet Kim Jong Un by May to achieve permanent denuclearisation.”
Trump tweets reaction
Breaking with convention, Mr Chung spoke outside the White House with no US officials present. He added: “I explained to President Trump that his leadership and his maximum pressure policy, together with international solidarity, brought us to this juncture.”
The US president tweeted that “great progress was being made”.
” Kim Jong Un talked about denuclearization with the South Korean Representatives, not just a freeze. Also, no missile testing by North Korea during this period of time. Great progress being made but sanctions will remain until an agreement is reached. Meeting being planned!”
The White House said Mr Trump’s meeting with the North Korean leader would be held “at a place and time to be determined.”
Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House Press Secretary, said Mr Trump “will accept the invitation to meet with” Mr Kim.
She added that the US looked “forward to the denuclearisation of North Korea,” but said all sanctions would remain in place in the meantime.
Abe to meet Trump in US
Japan’s prime minister welcomed the announcement and said he planned to visit the US within the next month to meet Mr Trump.
“I highly appreciate North Korea’s change that it will begin talks on the premise of denuclearisation,” Shinzo Abe said.
The Japanese leader hailed the development as “the achievement of cooperation between… Japan, the US, and South Korea to maintain great pressure”.
“There is no change in policy for Japan and the United States,” he added.
“We will keep putting maximum pressure (on North Korea) until North Korea takes concrete actions toward denuclearisation in a manner that is perfect, verifiable and irreversible.”
Mr Trump agreed to meet the North Korean leader because Mr Kim was the ultimate decision-maker in his country, a senior administration official said.
“President Trump has made his reputation on making deals,” the official said in a briefing with reporters.
More at: The Telegraph
