N Korea hails summit
OPTIMISTIC Going to hopefully make a deal, says Trump ahead of meeting Kim
SEOUL: North Korea’s state news agency on Saturday called the inter-korean summit a turning point for the Korean peninsula, as US President Donald Trump said he would maintain sanctions pressure on Pyongyang ahead of his own unprecedented meeting with Kim Jong Un.
The North’s KCNA news agency separately released the joint statement North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in presented on Friday after the first summit in more than a decade between the two Koreas.
Kim and Moon had pledged to work for “complete denuclearisation” of the Korean peninsula and agreed on a common goal of a “nuclear-free” peninsula.
“At the talks both sides had a candid and open-hearted exchange of views on the matters of mutual concern including the issues of improving the northsouth relations, ensuring peace on the Korean Peninsula and the denuclearisation of the peninsula,” KCNA said, reporting that the night wrapped up with a dinner with an “amicable atmosphere overflowing with feelings of blood relatives.”
A day after the meeting between Kim and Moon, South Korean media replayed striking scenes of the two leaders and North Korea’s main state newspaper published a multi-page spread with more than 60 photos from the visit.
On Saturday, North Korean state TV broadcast its first footage of the summit.
On Friday, Trump said only time would tell, but that he did not think Kim was “playing.” “It’s never gone this far. This enthusiasm for them wanting to make a deal ... We are going to hopefully make a deal.”
On Saturday, Trump tweeted that he had talked with Moon Jae-in about his upcoming summit with Kim Jong Un.
“Just had a long and very good talk with President Moon of South Korea. Things are going very well, time and location of meeting with North Korea is being set,” he wrote.
“Also spoke to Prime Minister (Shinzo) Abe of Japan to inform him of the ongoing negotiations,” Trump added.