Though mum on details, Trump says summit with Kim is set
President says date, site established, but no pulling of troops
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump offered his latest teaser Friday for a historic U.S. summit with North Korea: The time and place have been set but he’s not saying when and where.
Trump also pushed back on a report that he’s considering the withdrawal of U.S. forces from South Korea.
Earlier this week, Trump expressed a preference for holding the “big event” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the demilitarized zone or DMZ between North Korea and South Korea. He also said Singapore was in contention to host what will be the first summit of between a U.S. and a North Korean leader.
Trump has said the summit was planned for May or early June.
According to South Korea, Kim has said he’d be willing to give up his nuclear weapons if the United States commits to a formal end to the Korean War and pledges not to attack the North.
Trump said that withdrawing U.S. forces from South Korea is “not on the table.” Some 28,500 U.S. forces are based in the nation.
“Now I have to tell you, at some point into the future, I would like to save the money,” Trump said later. “You know we have 32,000 troops there but I think a lot of great things will happen but troops are not on the table. Absolutely.”
The New York Times reported that Trump has asked the Pentagon to prepare options plans for drawing down American troops.
Meanwhile, in a sign of warming ties after a landmark summit between leaders of the nations on the peninsula, North Korea has readjusted its time zone to match South Korea’s.