Trump upbeat ahead of summit as Kim explores Singapore sites
EARLY DEPARTURE White House says US prez will leave for Washington on Tuesday night as discussions with N Korea moved quicker than expected
SINGAPORE: US President Donald Trump said on Monday his historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore could “work out very nicely” as officials from both countries sought to narrow differences on how to end a nuclear stand-off on the Korean peninsula.
Kim, one of the world’s most reclusive leaders, made an evening tour of sites on Singapore’s waterfront, on the eve of the summit that is due to get underway on Tuesday morning at a nearby resort island.
While Trump was optimistic about prospects for the summit between the old foes, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo injected a note of caution ahead of the first-ever meeting of sitting US and North Korean leaders, saying it remained to be seen whether Kim was sincere about his willingness to denuclearise.
The White House later said discussions with North Korea had moved “more quickly than expected” and Trump would leave Singapore on Tuesday night. He had earlier been scheduled to leave on Wednesday.
China isn’t officially represented in the historic talks, but that hasn’t stopped Beijing from making its presence felt.
Kim arrived in the city state on Sunday aboard a Boeing 747 operated by Air China Ltd., China’s state-run flagship carrier. The flight was both a potent display of China’s industrial might and a message that the country had North Korea’s back.
Kim arrived with security on his mind — media reports stated that he dispatched decoy planes to thwart any potential attacks and packed his own food to prevent poisoning.
He has also reportedly packed his own toilet, apparently to prevent intelligence agencies from trying to glean information about his health.
Kim is due to leave on Tuesday afternoon, a source involved in the planning of his visit said.
He was not believed to have left his hotel since a meeting with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday, but he ventured out on Monday evening.
His first stop was a waterfront park with futuristic installations, Gardens by the Bay, which boasts the largest glass greenhouse and tallest indoor waterfall in the world.
He joined Singapore’s foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan who took a selfie, before stopping at the Marina Bay Sands hotel for a look out over the bright lights of the city from its rooftop garden and swimming pool.
On the way back to his hotel, Kim walked along a promenade near the Merlion, a giant statue and fountain of a mythical creature, half lion, half fish — Singapore’s unofficial mascot.