Singapore to spend 20 million dollars on Trump-Kim summit

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The long-awaited Trump-Kim summit will cost about 20 million Singapore dollars (15 million US dollars), half of which will contribute to security arrangements, according to Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

US President Donald Trump meets with DPRK leader Kim Jong Un at the start of their historic summit, at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island in Singapore, June 12. /VCG Photo

"It is a cost we are willing to pay, and it’s our contribution to an international endeavor, which is in our profound interest,” said Lee on June 10.

“I think if you calculate everything in this world, you will miss out the really important things,” Lee explained when asked to elaborate how Singapore might be able to recoup the hefty costs.

He said much of the costs are served to meet the security requirements and the meeting will be by no means extravagant. At least 5,000 internal team members including the police and civil defense forces are sent to maintain order throughout the country, especially the meeting venue, Capella Hotel on Sentosa, and also facilitate a large number of 2,500 reporters there during the summit, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs in Singapore.

Security personnel stand in front of the entrance to Capella Hotel on Sentosa Island in Singapore, June 11, 2018. /VCG Photo

In Lee’s eyes, hosting a smooth and successful summit is the top priority since the meeting has an important bearing on the regional peace in the Southeast Asia, particularly on the Korean Peninsula with denuclearization as the major subject.

A plus for Singapore

Politically, Singapore will conveniently get an opportunity to say something about its relations with the US and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), highlighting its stance in the international community.

"It gives us publicity,” Lee said.

Besides for the political heat, the service industry in Singapore cannot wait to embrace a surge of visitors from around the world. Considerable economic benefits can surely be seen in the near future.

A pair of drinks nicknamed "Bromance", created specially for the Trump-Kim summit by local bar Hopheads /VCG Photo

Major restaurants, cafes and bars, for example, have launched special cuisines echoing to the summit, featuring a mix of Singapore, US and Korean gastronomy.

A woman walks past a local eatery, Harmony Nasi Lemak, which offers a special Trump Kim Chi dish to its menu on June 6, 2018 in Singapore. /VCG Photo

Singapore Tourism Board (STB) revealed that the spending of each visitor is about 1,500 dollars, and all visitors, reporters included, will stay an average of 3.5 days, contributing at least 21 million dollars to Singapore’s tourism industry.