U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Singapore on Sunday for a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that could lay the groundwork for ending a nuclear stand-off between the old foes and the transformation of the isolated state.
Mr. Trump flew into Singapore’s Paya Lebar Air Base aboard Air Force One looking to strike a deal that will lead to the denuclearisation of one of America’s bitterest foes.
After stepping down from Air Force One on a steamy tropical night, Mr. Trump was greeted by Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.
Asked by a reporter how he felt about the summit, Mr. Trump said: “Very good”. He then got into his limousine for the drive to his hotel in central Singapore.
Making history
North Korea’s Kim landed in Singapore earlier on Sunday.
When the two meet on Tuesday at Sentosa, a resort island off Singapore’s port with a Universal Studios theme park and man-made beaches, they will be making history. Enemies since the 1950-53 Korean War, leaders of North Korea and the United States have never met previously — or even spoken on the telephone.
Mr. Kim arrived at Singapore’s Changi Airport after his longest trip overseas as head of state, wearing his trademark dark “Mao suit” and distinctive high cut hairstyle. Arriving on a plane loaned by China, he was also greeted by Mr. Balakrishnan.
Travelling with Mr. Kim were top officials including Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho and Kim Yong-chol, a close aide of Mr. Kim who has been instrumental in the diplomacy that culminates in Tuesday’s summit.
Kim Yo-jong, Mr. Kim’s younger sister, was also spotted in his delegation. She emerged as an influential figure in Pyongyang’s opaque leadership in February, when she led a North Korean delegation to the Winter Olympics in South Korea.
Officials who arrived with Mr. Trump include Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.
Mr. Trump, speaking in Canada on Saturday, said any agreement at the summit would be “spur of the moment”, underscoring the uncertain outcome of what he called a “mission of peace”.
Senior U.S. officials, echoing what Mr. Trump has said in recent days, said that at a minimum they would like the summit to serve as a start of a dialogue with North Korea.
Singapore’s role
Mr. Kim met Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong shortly after his arrival, driving from the St. Regis Hotel where he is staying, through the famous Orchard Road shopping district, which was closed off for his tightly guarded motorcade.
In his first public comments since arriving, Mr. Kim said Singapore’s role would be recorded in history if the summit was a success. Mr. Trump, who is staying at the Shangri-La Hotel, is due to meet Mr. Lee on Monday.
The two leaders meet at 9 a.m. (0100 GMT) on Tuesday at the Capella on Sentosa island, a refurbished British Army artillery mess that is one of Singapore’s most expensive hotels. A source involved in the planning of Mr. Kim’s trip said he was scheduled to leave Singapore at 2 p.m. on Tuesday. Mr. Trump is scheduled to leave on Wednesday.
Published - June 10, 2018 06:21 pm IST
