Trump to leave Singapore Tuesday night after summit

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US President Donald Trump will leave Singapore on Tuesday night, the White House said, a day earlier than expected and seemingly ruling out a second day of historic talks with Kim Jong Un, leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The statement also makes it unlikely for Republic of Korea (ROK) President Moon Jae-in to join Trump and Kim for a trilateral meeting – a scenario considered by Seoul during the past two weeks.

Stressing that preparatory talks were going well, the statement said Trump will meet with Kim at 9:00 a.m. local time and leave at 8:00 p.m. for the United States, allowing around 11 hours for the unprecedented tete-a-tete.

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"The discussions between the United States and North Korea (the DPRK) are ongoing and have moved more quickly than expected," the White House said on Monday, referring to the meeting between senior US and DPRK officials in Singapore on the day before the summit.

"Following the initial greeting, President Trump and Chairman Kim will participate in a one-on-one meeting, with translators only, an expanded bilateral meeting, and a working lunch," said the statement.

It added that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and National Security Advisor John Bolton will participate in the expanded bilateral meeting.

DPRK leader Kim Jong Un visits The Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore, June 11, 2018. /Reuters Photo

Denuclearization to top summit agenda

The denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is expected to top the agenda of Tuesday's summit.

The US demands "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization" of the DPRK and vows to maintain "maximum pressure" until Pyongyang's total denuclearization.

Commenting on the planned summit, Trump said last week that he expects to know "within the first minute" if the DPRK leader is serious about giving up his nuclear weapons.

He also said if he mentions "maximum pressure" again after the summit, the world will know the meeting went badly.

"If you hear me saying we're going to use maximum pressure, you'll know the negotiation did not do well, frankly," he said last Thursday.

US President Donald Trump (R) and Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong shake hands at the Istana in Singapore, June 11, 2018. /Reuters Photo

What has DPRK paid for its nuclear weapons?

At a press conference on Monday, Pompeo said the Trump-Kim summit provides "an unprecedented opportunity to change the trajectory of our relationship and bring peace and prosperity" to the DPRK. But he stressed that sanctions on the DPRK will remain in place until complete denuclearization.

Kim and Moon agreed at the Panmunjom summit on April 27 that Pyongyang and Seoul are committed to a "common goal of complete denuclearization."

During Kim's visit to northeast China's Dalian in early May, Kim told Chinese President Xi Jinping that the DPRK is committed to denuclearization, while also urging Seoul and Washington to show goodwill.

"The issue of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula can be resolved, if South Korea and the United States respond to our efforts with goodwill, create an atmosphere of peace and stability while taking progressive and synchronous measures for the realization of peace," said Kim.

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Beijing has been calling on the DPRK and the US to resolve the peninsula issue through dialogue and consultation and urging the two sides to "meet each other halfway."

China advocates that the peninsula should be denuclearized and a peace mechanism established – known as a "dual-track" approach. It also says concerns of all relevant parties should be addressed.

In addition to denuclearization, Trump and Kim are also expected to discuss how to bring an official conclusion to the 1950-1953 Korean War, which ended in an armistice.

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Source(s): AFP