US envoys have held preliminary talks with North Korean officials in Pyongyang. The February summit between the two leaders follows their unprecedented meeting in Singapore last June.
Image: Reuters/J. Ernst
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US President Donald Trump said on Friday that his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this month will be held in Vietnam's capital, Hanoi.
The US president said US diplomats had a "very productive meeting" with North Korean officials in Pyongyang to prepare for the summit.
"My representatives have just left North Korea after a very productive meeting and an agreed upon time and date for the second Summit with Kim Jong Un. It will take place in Hanoi, Vietnam, on February 27 & 28," Trump said on Twitter.
"I look forward to seeing Chairman Kim & advancing the cause of peace!" he said.
The planned Hanoi summit follows on from an unprecedented meeting between the leaders in Singapore last June. Then, Kim pledged to work toward the "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula, without providing a clear timetable or roadmap.
Stephen Biegun, the US special representative for North Korea who led the preparatory talks in Pyongyang, said last week that the talks would be aimed at seeking progress on commitments made in Singapore and mapping out "a set of concrete deliverables" for the second summit.
"Our discussions were productive," Biegun said after the three-day meeting in the North Korean capital.
"[President Trump] is very much looking forward to taking next steps. We have some hard work to do with DPRK between now and then. I am confident if both sides stay committed we can make real progress here," he said, referring to North Korea by its formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The US State Department said in a statement that Biegun and Kim Hyok Chol, North Korea's special representative for US affairs, agreed to meet again before the leaders' second summit.
Biegun is thought to have discussed specific disarmament steps that Pyongyang could promise at the planned summit and what corresponding measures Washington is willing to take.
Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un's historic summit in pictures
All eyes were on US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as they met for historic talks in Singapore. Between handshakes, they committed to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/S. Loeb
First meeting
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump shake hands as they meet for the first time. Unlike in past meetings with some world leaders, Trump did not try to pull Kim's hand towards him or hold on to the North Korean leader's hand too long.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/S. Loeb
From insults to 'special bond'
Trump and Kim appeared at ease with one another during the summit. Just a few months prior, Trump and Kim engaged in a war of words, trading insults like "little rocket man" and "mentally deranged." Following their meeting, Trump said he formed a "special bond" with Kim and that he'd like to invite him to the White House.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/S. Loeb
Who's leading whom?
Kim lays a hand on Trump's back as they leave after signing a joint statement pledging peace negotiations and denuclearization. Some critics worried that the US agreed to give up too many things in negotiations with Kim. At a press conference, Trump said he wanted to stop US military exercises with South Korea and eventually withdraw US troops — something Pyongyang has been demanding for years.
Image: Reuters/J. Ernst
Four-point agreement
Trump displays the joint agreement he signed with Kim. In the four-point document, Kim agreed to the "complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." In exchange, Trump agreed to provide "security guarantees" to Pyongyang. The two leaders also agreed to build a "robust peace regime" and to return the remains of prisoners of the 1950-1953 Korean War.
Image: Reuters/J. Ernst
All eyes on Trump and Kim
South Koreans watch the summit on a screen located at a train station in Seoul. Ahead of the event, critics expressed concern that the meeting between the two leaders would be purely symbolic and not bring concrete progress to easing tensions. Indeed, the agreement did not specify what exact measures would be taken.
Image: Getty Images/C. Sung-Jun
Honoring 'the bromance' in Singapore
A bartender in Singapore crafted a special drink for the summit, dubbed "The Bromance." The meeting was held on Singapore's Sentosa island, a resort area with luxury hotels and a theme park. The island's security was massively increased ahead of the summit, while local businesses marked the occasion with special Trump-Kim branded water and drinks.
