Trump says 2nd US-N.K. summit to be held in Hanoi

February 10, 2019 | 16:57

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SEOUL - US President Donald Trump said Saturday (Hanoi time) that his second meeting with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un will take place in Hanoi on February 27-28.

Trump confirmed this in a Twitter message. His message came after Stephen Biegun, the US Special Representative for North Korea, held pre-summit talks with his North Korean counterpart Kim Hyok-chol in Pyongyang from Wednesday to Friday.

"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," Trump wrote on Twitter. "It will take place in Hanoi, Vietnam, on February 27 & 28. I look forward to seeing Chairman Kim & advancing the cause of peace!"

Trump announced on Tuesday that his second meeting with Kim would be held in Việt Nam but didn’t reveal the host city. There were reports that the United States favoured Đà Nẵng, while North Korea wanted the summit to be held in Hà Nội.

While the first US-North Korea summit in Singapore last year was somewhat symbolic in that it merely laid the foundation for headway to be made, many believe that the second summit should produce more tangible results.

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Washington has been pressuring Pyongyang to take concrete, substantive steps for its nuclear disarmament, while North Korea has been demanding the United States’ corresponding measures for its denuclearisation steps that may include partial sanctions relief.

Although nothing has been confirmed as to what the two nations will agree upon at the upcoming summit, Trump hinted that the US. may help North Korea revive its economy if they reach a deal.

"North Korea, under the leadership of Kim Jong Un, will become a great Economic Powerhouse," Trump wrote on Twitter. "He may surprise some but he won’t surprise me, because I have gotten to know him & fully understand how capable he is. North Korea will become a different kind of Rocket - an Economic one!" — YONHAP

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