Trump will meet Kim Jong-un on June 12 in Singapore

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump. Photo: AFP

“The highly anticipated meeting between Kim Jong-un and myself will take place in Singapore on June 12th,” Trump wrote. “We will try to make it a very special moment for World Peace!”

Preparations for the summit have been underway since Mr. Trump accepted Mr. Kim's invitation to meet in March. This will be the first meeting in history between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader.

US officials also considered holding the summit in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea or in Mongolia, but ultimately chose Singapore as the venue.

Previously, CNN news agency reported on May 9 that Trump administration officials were making plans for this meeting to take place in Singapore.

The announcement came a day after North Korea released three imprisoned Americans during US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's most recent visit to Pyongyang.
In addition to securing the release of the three Americans, Pompeo also finalized details for the upcoming summit.
Mr Trump has struck a cautiously optimistic tone when discussing the prospects for a deal at his upcoming summit with Mr Kim, saying he hopes a historic accord can be negotiated while also warning that the talks may not bear fruit.

However, the US President sees the release of three American citizens as another reason for optimism as he prepares for the upcoming summit.
“We’re starting on a new footing, I really think we have a very good chance to do something meaningful. A lot of very good things have happened,” Trump said as he welcomed former prisoners at Andrews base early on May 10 local time.
“I really think he wants to do something and bring the country into the real world,” Trump added of Kim. “It’s never been this far, there’s never been a relationship like this. I really think a lot of progress has been made.”

Thu Giang