Where could the US-North Korea summit be held in Hanoi?

National Convention Center

Two weeks before the second US-North Korea Summit in Hanoi, the location for the meeting between US President Donald Trump and leader Kim Jong-un has not been officially announced. However, many predict that the most likely location for the second US-North Korea Summit is the JW Marriott Hotel.

South Korean newspaper JoongAng Ilbo quoted an anonymous diplomatic source on February 11 as saying that representatives of the two countries are expected to meet soon at the 5-star JW Marriott Hotel in Hanoi to make a final decision, similar to what they did during the first US-North Korea Summit held at the Capella Hotel on the resort island of Sentosa, Singapore.

5-star JW Marriott Hotel in Hanoi Capital

Meanwhile, according to another Korean newspaper, the Korea Herald, the JW Marriott Hotel has stopped accepting online reservations for February 27-28 - the scheduled time for the second US-North Korea Summit.

The 5-star JW Marriott Hotel is one of the favorite places for foreign leaders to stay when they come to Vietnam for work. With its location near the lake, ensuring security at this hotel is said to be easier than other hotels surrounded by high-rise buildings.

Former US President Barack Obama stayed at the JW Marriott Hotel in 2016 during his official visit to Vietnam from May 22-25 before going to Japan to attend the G-7 Summit.

The JW Marriott Hotel was also chosen by Chinese President Xi Jinping when he visited Vietnam in November 2017 on a state visit to strengthen bilateral relations. South Korean President Moon Jae-in also stayed at the hotel in March 2018.

However, not only JW Marriott, many other 5-star hotels in Hanoi have now announced that they are not accepting room reservations, including Melia Hanoi Hotel near the North Korean Embassy or Pan Pacific Hotel, Apricot Hotel near the Presidential Palace.

In addition, small hotels near the JW Marriott also informed travel agencies around the area that they will not accept any more bookings until after the US-North Korea Summit ends.

Another location that could be considered is the National Convention Center, which has hosted many important international events. This venue is twice the size of the JW Marriots hotel and has multiple entrances.

Agreeing with the above opinions, Colonel Le The Mau, former Head of the Military Science and Information Department of the Military Strategy Institute (now the National Defense Strategy Institute), a political-military analyst, said that JW Marriot and the National Convention Center are among the venues that meet all the standards and conditions to host the US-North Korea Summit.

"Of course, the first "promising candidates" are the National Convention Center in My Dinh and the International Convention Center in Le Hong Phong. If following the "hotel format" like the first US-North Korea summit in Singapore, the "promising candidates" could be the JW Marriot Hotel - where US President Barack Obama stayed during his visit to Vietnam and also the Daewoo Hotel," Colonel Le The Mau predicted.

During the first US-North Korea Summit, Singapore's Capella Hotel was announced as the venue just a week before the event began. Therefore, the world is expecting the specific location of the second US-North Korea Summit to be announced next week, with only two weeks to go before the event.

This event is attracting the attention of the whole world, not only because of its historical significance but also because of its "fragile" nature. Up to this point, only the US has confirmed it to the press. North Korea has not yet made any public announcement. Remember, the first US-North Korea summit in June 2018 in Singapore, US President Donald Trump announced the cancellation a few days before the meeting.