Singapore to restrict airspace during US-North Korea summit
SINGAPORE (Reuters) − Singapore airspace will be restricted during the planned U.S.-N.Korea summit next week, according to a notice to airmen posted by aviation authorities on Wednesday, which is likely to result in delays at one of Asia’s busiest airports.
The Southeast Asian city-state is set to host a historic meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on June 12 and has increased security across the island.
The notice, published on the websites of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), said airspace over Singapore will be temporarily restricted for parts of June 11, 12, and 13.
Travelers are advised to expect delays for flights arriving at and departing from Singapore during this period, Singapore’s Defense Ministry and Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said.
All aircraft arriving into Singapore Changi Airport will be required to reduce speed and face some restrictions on runway use “for reasons of national security,” the notice said.
A separate notice on the ICAO website warned aviators to keep clear of the Paya Lebar Air Base, a military facility in the east of the island that has been used by U.S. presidents on past visits. The notice said aircraft that breach the restrictions “may be intercepted.”
As part of its preparations for the summit, Singapore has designated certain parts of the city as “special event areas” for June 10 to 14. These include the central region, which is home to its foreign ministry, the US embassy and several hotels, and Sentosa Island in the south, where the summit is scheduled to take place.
Items such as remotely piloted aircraft and public address systems will be prohibited in these areas throughout this period.
Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan is set to arrive in Pyongyang on Thursday, the Singapore government said, days before it plays host to the leaders of North Korea and the United States at a summit.
Balakrishnan, who went to Washington earlier this week, will meet his North Korean counterpart, Ri Yong Ho, and the president of the Supreme People’s Assembly and ceremonial president, Kim Yong Nam, during his two-day visit to Pyongyang, a government statement said.