Trump: Summit with Kim Jong Un likely early next year

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U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will likely have a second summit with the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kim Jong Un, in January or February, Western media outlets report.

Trump made the comments aboard Air Force One on Saturday on his way back to Washington after attending the Group of 20 (G20) summit.

"I think we're going to do one fairly (soon) – into January, February, I think," Trump is quoted as saying, adding that three sites are being considered.

Trump also said that at some point he would invite Kim to the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump (R) shakes hands with DPRK leader Kim Jong Un during their first summit in Singapore, June 12, 2018. /VCG Photo

Earlier on Friday, while meeting with his Republic of Korea (ROK) counterpart Moon Jae-in, Trump discussed his intention to hold a second U.S.-DPRK summit and restated a commitment to work closely with Moon on making it happen.

Trump also reviewed recent developments related to the DPRK with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe the same day. They discussed how best to work with the international community, including the ROK, to continue to put pressure on the DPRK to fulfill its commitment to denuclearize.

Moon revealed after the meeting that Trump wants DPRK leader Kim Jong Un to know that he likes him and will fulfill his wishes.

After Trump and Kim met in Singapore in June, negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled due to differences on the scale of denuclearization, continued U.S. sanctions, and whether to issue a war-ending declaration, among others.

On November 7, the State Department announced that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's meeting with Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee, which had been scheduled in New York for November 8, would "take place at a later date."

Trump said earlier in October that his meeting with Kim would be held after the midterm Congressional elections, and the venue of his second meeting with Kim had been narrowed down to "three or four" locations.

(Cover: U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un walk together during their summit in Singapore, June 12, 2018. /VCG Photo)

Source(s): AFP ,Xinhua News Agency