WASHINGTON — The historic summit between United States president Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will take place around 9am on June 12, the White House announced on Tuesday (June 5).
"The schedule, tentatively, for that first meeting will be on June 12 at 9am Singapore time," White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders told a routine press briefing. She gave no further details on the summit, beyond noting that US officials are in Singapore and the Korean demilitarised zone for preparations.
She added: "The advance team in Singapore is finalising logistical preparations and will remain in place until the summit begins.
"In the DMZ, the US Ambassador’s delegation continues diplomatic negotiations with the North Korean delegation. Discussions have been very positive, and significant progress has been made."
Shangri-La Hotel has emerged as the likely venue for the highly-anticipated summit.
The Singapore Government on Sunday gazetted a section of Tanglin and Orchard Road — where the hotel is sited — as a “special event area”. The order, which will be in force from June 10 to 14, did not directly mention any possible venue for the summit.
The area gazetted for the meeting borders part of Nassim Road to the north and west, extending to Claymore Road, and to parts of Grange Road to the south.
Under the gazette order, anyone who is in, or seeking to enter, the area must allow an inspection or search to be made of the person.
The order also stated that anyone in or entering the area must not bring in prohibited items. These include any explosives or arms, any noxious or offensive substance, as well as remotely controlled aircraft systems.
Other prohibited items listed in the order include any substance — including aerosol paint containers — “capable of being used to mark graffiti”; loud hailers, and flags or banners larger than 1m by 1m.
The White House has been tight-lipped about Mr Trump’s preparations for the summit. He spent the weekend at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland, with some of his family.
“The president has been receiving daily briefings on North Korea from his national security team,” Ms Sanders said.
Mr Trump aims to persuade the North Korean dictator to give up his country’s nuclear arsenal in exchange for relief from US economic sanctions. He’s promised American investment in the under-developed country would follow.
Meanwhile, the US campaign to economically isolate North Korea will continue, said Ms Sanders, adding: “Our policy hasn’t changed, and as the president stated, we have sanctions on, they’re very powerful and we would not take those sanctions off unless North Korea denuclearised." AGENCIES