US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un finally met on Tuesday in Singapore in a historic summit between the two leaders, signing a joint agreement pledging to reach the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.
The agreement was described as “comprehensive” and “ in-depth” to commit North Korea to the “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” and the US to provide “security guarantees” to North Korea.
However, it does not differ greatly from the agreement that was signed between North and South Korea in April, following another significant meeting between Kim and the South’s President Moon Jae-in.
The high-stakes meeting was the first time in history a US president met with a North Korean leader. Trump and Kim smiled and shook hands during their face-to-face, which lasted nearly five hours, including a press conference, working lunch, and meeting with advisers.
The US president said that sanctions on Pyongyang will remain in place until “the nukes are no longer a factor.” He added that Kim “has an opportunity like no other to be remembered as the leader who ushered in a glorious new era of security and prosperity for his people.”
When asked about holding a second summit with Kim, Trump said that another meeting has not been set up yet, but they will “probably need another summit or meeting.”
Moreover, Trump told reporters that he invited Kim to the White House and he accepted, noting that it will have to take place “at the appropriate time.”
Regarding joint military exercises with South Korea, which previously angered North Korea and were a factor in the summit coming close to being scrapped, Trump said that the United States will stop what he described as “war games,” adding that he hopes to eventually withdraw US forces from South Korea.
Meanwhile, he said he hopes that the “70-year-old bloody conflict” between the two Koreas will end soon. “Countless people died in the conflict, including tens of thousands of brave Americans,” said Trump.
For his part, Kim said that both leaders “decided to leave the past behind,” adding, “the world will see major changes.” In May, North Korea claimed it destroyed a nuclear test site, Punggye-ri.
