Kim looking to ‘achieve results’ in 2nd summit with Trump

BEIJING >> North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reportedly told the leader of his only major ally, China, that he wants to “achieve results” on the nuclear standoff on the Korean Peninsula during a second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.

The comments, contained in Chinese state media reports Thursday, came a day after Kim left Beijing on his special armored train after a twoday visit to the Chinese capital.

Kim’s trip to China — his fourth in the past 10 months — is believed to be an effort to coordinate with Beijing ahead of a possible second summit with Trump. It comes after U.S. and North Korean officials are thought to have met in Vietnam to discuss the site of the summit.

North Korea will “make efforts for the second summit between (North Korean) and U.S. leaders to achieve results that will be welcomed by the international community,” Kim was quoted as saying by China’s official Xinhua News Agency.

All sides should “jointly push for a comprehensive resolution of the Korean Peninsula issue” and North Korea will “continue sticking to the stance of denuclearization and resolving the Korean Peninsula issue through dialogue and consultation,” Xinhua quoted Kim as saying.

Kim also said North Korea hopes its “legitimate concerns” will be given due respect, a reference to its desire for security guarantees and a possible

peace treaty to formally end the 195053 Korean War.

He also credited Chinese President Xi Jinping with helping reduce regional tensions, saying “the Korean Peninsula situation has been easing since last year, and China’s important role in this process is obvious to all.”

The North’s Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim told Xi that the North remains unchanged in its push to seek a negotiated resolution of the nuclear standoff. It said Kim also mentioned unspecified difficulties in improving ties with the United States and moving nuclear diplomacy forward.

Xi was quoted by Xinhua as saying that China supports the U.S.-North Korea summits and hopes the two sides “will meet each other halfway.”

KCNA said Xi accepted an invitation to visit North Korea, although details of when he might go were not given.

It wasn’t clear from the reports if Kim was in back in North Korea, but his train presumably would arrive sometime Thursday.