Time, date confirmed for Trump-Kim summit

A date and time has been confirmed for the upcoming summit between the US and North Korea, according to the White House.

Kim Jong-un (pictured left) and Donald  Trump (pictured right).

A man watches a TV screen showing file footage of US President Donald Trump, right, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, during a news program. Source: AP

The White House said on Monday that a first meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will take place at 9:00 am Singapore time (11am AEST) on 12 June.

"The advance team in Singapore is finalizing preparations and will remain in place until the summit begins," said Press Secretary Sarah Sanders announcing the timing of the meeting.

Ms Sanders added that Trump was getting daily national security briefings on North Korea in the run up to the meeting.



"I can tell you the president has been receiving daily briefings on North Korea from his national security team," said Sanders.

Experts have voiced concern that despite Mr Trump's claim to be the world's greatest dealmaker, he knows little about North Korea, arms control or international diplomacy.

The on-again-off-again summit is expected to focus on US efforts to get North Korea to abandon its nuclear program.

The oppressive regime is believed to have developed a miniaturised nuclear device that could be placed on a missile that could strike the United States.



Washington has called that unacceptable and demanded North Korea embark on full and verifiable denuclearisation.

With days to go before the meeting, it remains unclear whether Pyongyang is willing to take that step, or whether it is using the promise of talks as a way of easing Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign.

Mr Trump last week said he no longer wanted to use that term and indicated that he was willing to embark on a lengthy series of talks that would ease pressure on the regime.

"I think it'll be a process," he said after welcoming top official Kim Yong Chol to the White House.

"It's not - I never said it goes in one meeting. I think it's going to be a process. But the relationships are building, and that's a very positive thing."

Mr Trump also said that there would be no new sanctions while the talks are taking place, although the White House was at pains to say existing economic sanctions will not be removed either.


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Source: AFP, SBS


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