Our live coverage has ended, but you can read more about President Donald Trump’s visit to North Korea Korea here:
After President Donald Trump took 20 unprecedented steps into North Korea Sunday, reaction quickly poured in from 2020 Democratic hopefuls on the campaign trail.
Here’s what some of the candidates are saying:
Sen. Bernie Sanders said he has “no problem” with Trump meeting with Kim Jong-un, but said the issue he took was with Trump’s “incredible inconsistencies.”
“I don’t want it simply to be a photo opportunity, the whole world’s media was attracted there,” Sanders said on ABC’s “This Week.”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union,” said diplomacy is not as easy as bringing a hot dish over the fence to the dictator next store; there needs to be a clear focus and a clear mission and clear goals.
“I don’t think we know it works until there is results,” Klobuchar told CNN’s Brianna Keilar.
The Joe Biden campaign put out a statement, slamming Trump for his relationship with dictators.
“President Trump’s coddling of dictators at the expense of American national security and interests is one of the most dangerous ways he’s diminishing us on the world stage and subverting our values as a nation. This past week he yet again fawned over Kim Jong-un – to whom he’s made numerous concessions for negligible gain – joked with Vladimir Putin about our election security and ‘getting rid’ of journalists, and even expressed sympathy for Turkey buying Russian missiles,” the former vice president’s spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement. “His conduct reinforces that we urgently need a president who can restore our standing in the world, heal relationships with key allies Trump has alienated, and deliver real change for the American people.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren tweeted, “Our President shouldn’t be squandering American influence on photo ops and exchanging love letters with a ruthless dictator. Instead, we should be dealing with North Korea through principled diplomacy that promotes US security, defends our allies, and upholds human rights.”
Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper disputed President Donald Trump’s claim that President Barack Obama wanted to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Clapper, appearing Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union,” said that Trump stepping into North Korea is a “great historic moment” but said he personally does not believe the North Koreans have long-term any intent to denuclearize.
“I think it’s a great historic moment … and it’s the first time a sitting president ever set foot in North Korea,” Clapper, now a CNN national security analyst, told CNN’s Brianna Keilar when asked if it was a breakthrough moment in US-North Korea relations. “I think when it comes to the hard business of negotiating here, I think that’s another story. I personally don’t believe the North Koreans have long term any intent to denuclearize.”
Clapper questioned why North Korea would denuclearize.
“Why should they,” he said. “It’s their ticket to survival.”
Clapper looked puzzled after watching a clip of Trump saying that the Obama administration begged for a meeting with Kim.
“In all the deliberations that I participated in on North Korea during the Obama administration, I can recall no instance whatever where President Obama ever indicated any interest whatsoever in meeting with Chairman Kim. I just – that’s news to me.”
U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun held secret discussions at the DMZ to set up the meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korean president Kim Jong Un, a U.S. senior official tells CNN.
The discussions were held the night before the two leaders met.
Officials became more confident Saturday morning that the possibility of the leaders meeting was real enough that a wider range of people were brought in and planning was in full swing, the official tells CNN.
Pope Francis has praised the meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Sunday saying, “in the last hours, we have assisted in Korea a good example of a culture of dialogue.”
He added that the meeting “constitutes a step further in the walk of peace. Not only on that peninsula but in the entire world.”
The remarks were made at the conclusion of the weekly Sunday Angelus Prayer held in St Peter’s Square in Rome.
During his journey back to America, US President Donald Trump has tweeted about his trip to the DMZ.
He said it was a “great honor” to stand “on the soil of North Korea,” which he described as “an important statement for all.”
President Trump has departed South Korea, concluding his four-day, three-night visit to Asia.
Air Force One left Osan Air Base at 6:09 a.m. ET (7:09 p.m. local time), roughly 90 minutes behind schedule.
Trump was originally due back in Washington D.C. at 8:15 p.m. ET.
US President Donald Trump crossed the low stone curb separating the North and South at 3:45 p.m. local time, making his way alongside a grinning Kim into a country that’s long been a global pariah for its nuclear ambitions and dismal record on human rights.
In total Trump took 20 steps into North Korea, making history as the first serving US leader to set foot in the hermit kingdom.
The event, seemingly spontaneous and broadcast live, took to a new level Trump’s showman instincts and view of diplomacy as a test of interpersonal skills.
Later, Trump said he was “proud to step over the line” and thanked Kim for the meeting. He invited him to the White House, though later acknowledged such a visit would likely not come soon.
Special adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-In, Chung-in Moon, told CNN that he was “surprised” to see US President Donald Trump invite North Korean leader Kim Jong Un onto South Korean territory.
He added that it was also “quite unusual and quite surprising” to see Trump in the Freedom House with Kim “which belongs to South Korean territory.”
“I think what happened this afternoon of today really shows that the military demarcation line is an artificial one,” Chung-In told CNN.
Donald Trump has told US troops at South Korea’s Osan Air Base that his “unexpected” meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was “great.”
“That’s a great country with tremendous potential,” the US President said. “I have a good relationship with chairman Kim, they were giving us a great briefing at the DMZ.”
As for his walk into North Korean territory, Trump called it a “historic moment and a very good moment.”
“Everybody was so happy and many people I noticed from Korea were literally in tears, crying.”
US President Donald Trump has arrived at Osan Air Base, south of South Korea’s capital, Seoul.
Here he’ll deliver brief remarks to US troops.
The Blue House – the South Korean presidential office – has tweeted photos of US President Donald Trump meeting troops at the demilitarized zone (DMZ), along with photos of Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-In signing the wall of the base.
Moon signed his name next to Trump’s along with “The ROK-US alliance (is) together for security and peace.”
US President Donald Trump has departed the Korean demilitarized zone after a historic crossing of the North Korea border and longer-than-expected talks with Kim Jong Un.
He is en route to Osan Air Base south of Seoul, where he will deliver brief remarks to US troops.
US President Donald Trump says he “thinks” the North Korean negotiators whom his team dealt with in earlier talks are still alive.
Speaking to reporters following a meeting with Kim Jong Un, Trump said at least one – he didn’t name him – was verified to be living.
“I think they are. I can tell you the main person is,” Trump said. “I would hope the rest are too.”
South Korea’s largest newspaper said earlier this month that a North Korean diplomat involved in the US talks had been executed by firing squad. But CNN later confirmed he is alive and in state custody, according to several sources familiar with the situation.
Another official reported to be purged, Kim Yong Chol, was later photographed at an art performance with Kim Jong Un.
Trump said Sunday the two sides had agreed to restart working-level talks. The US side will be led by Stephen Biegun, who was already responsible for negotiations with North Korea.
It’s unclear whether North Korea’s team will also remain the same.
One word that was barely mentioned by US President Donald Trump on Sunday was “denuclearization.”
The former State Department Special Representative for North Korea, Joseph Yun, told CNN he believes Trump is “beginning to understand that denuclearization is going to be a long, long struggle” and something that is impossible within his first term, let alone his second – if he’s reelected.
“This is why he keeps on saying ‘we have all the time, there is no hurry.’ He’s shifting his goal, lowering the bar.”
Trump instead spent Sunday focusing on his personal relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
US President Donald Trump said that he asked North Korean leader Kim Jong Un if he would “like” him to cross the border into North Korea, and that Kim said he would be “honored.”
“I asked him, ‘Would you like me to come across the line?’” Trump told reporters. “He said he would be honored.”
Trump added he “didn’t know” what Kim would say. The two leaders then immediately set foot in North Korea together.
Nuclear talks between the United States and North Korea had appeared to come to something of a standstill in recent weeks ahead of today’s historic meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the demilitarized zone (DMZ).
Their last meeting: Trump and Kim last met face-to-face at the end of February in Hanoi, Vietnam. But their second summit ended early without an agreement, with both sides claiming the other over-reached.
In the weeks that followed the collapsed summit, there was little word of any progress between the two sides.
What comes next: Following his meeting with Kim today, Trump said talks would resume, led by special representative Steve Biegun.
Biegun said earlier this month that “the door is wide open” for talks to continue, but noted that “US-North Korean diplomacy has been in something of a holding pattern” since Hanoi.
The focus of previous talks led by his team where on further progress towards North Korean denuclearization. Trump barely mentioned that word when he talked about today’s meeting with Kim, however, focusing instead on his personal relationship with the North Korean leader.
Pyongyang’s big focus is on getting sanctions relief. Trump said after meeting with Kim that sanctions will remain in place for now, but indicated they could be relaxed if talks go well.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader gives “hope to 80 million Korean people.”
“Through today’s meeting, the denuclearization as well as the establishment of peace, that process on the Korean Peninsula, I believe we have just overcome a hill in that overall process. So, the 80 million Korean people on the Korean peninsula have been given hope thanks to today,” Moon said, speaking to the press.
US President Donald Trump says he agreed with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to restart talks after nuclear negotiations stalled earlier this year.
“We just had a very, very good meeting with Chairman Kim,” Trump told reporters after parting with Kim at the Korean border.
The US team would be led by the current US special representative for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, said Trump, adding, “Good luck, Steve.”
Trump said the teams would begin working and meeting over the next two to three weeks, but insisted he wasn’t looking to rush into an agreement.
“Speed is not the object,” Trump said. “Nobody knows how things turn out.”
Watch Trump’s remarks here:
As US President Donald Trump escorted Kim Jong Un back over the border to North Korea, Kim said, “The fact that we will be able to meet each other anytime now, I think this is the signal this meeting will send.”
Kim was walking with Trump and South Korean President Moon.
The leaders spoke for nearly one hour.
Presidents Donald Trump and Moon Jae-in are addressing the press after escorting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un across the border.
“Speed is not the object, we want to see if we can do a really comprehensive, good deal,” Trump said. “This was a great day. This was a very legendary, historic day.”
He quoted Kim as saying that “just the meeting is historic.”
“A lot has already come up,” Trump said of the US-North Korean relationship. “When I came into office it was a fiery mess, bad things were going on.”
He added that “for two and half years we’ve had peace, with nothing signed, just based on relationships.”
Negotiations will resume with North Korea led by special representative Steve Biegun, Trump said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has returned to his country. Presidents Moon Jae-in and Donald Trump accompanied him to the border where they said goodbye.
US President Donald Trump has concluded his sit-down meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump, Kim, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in have just walked back out.
Trump and Kim met inside the Freedom House at the Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ) for roughly 50 minutes.
That’s a far more substantial session than Trump previewed earlier in the day, when he said his encounter with Kim would amount to little more than a handshake.
US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are still talking in private at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the Koreas.
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Trump’s advisors Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, his daughter and son-in-law, have left the meeting.
Trump and Kim are to emerge shortly.
The steps taken today were symbolic for South Korea – and personally significant for South Korean President Moon Jae-in, said CNN Seoul Bureau Chief Paula Hancocks.
The Trump-Kim meeting could indicate a sign of progress toward North Korean denuclearization, Hancocks said – and ultimately, peace on the Korean Peninsula, and the formal end of the Korean War.
“It is largely symbolic in some ways, but it is an important step for South Koreans. For President Moon Jae-in, he’s been very clear about this. His most important task is to make sure there’s not a second Korean War. His parents are North Korean refugees or were North Korean refugees. He was part of the family reunions. He went with his mother to meet his auntie from North Korea that he had never met before as part of those reunions between North and South Korea when times were good. This is a very personal issue for President Moon,” Hancocks said.
Watch her on-air analysis here:
The new White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham came off worse for wear in a scuffle with North Korean officials during chaotic scenes as White House press pool and North Korean reporters were hustled into the meeting room where US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are currently talking in private.
A source on the scene said Grisham got in “an all out brawl” with the North Koreans, adding that she was bruised a bit in the scuffle.
Grisham could be seen later directing reporters outside the building in which Kim and Trump are meeting.
US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are in a private bilateral meeting right now.
In remarks to press before closing the doors, Kim said he was “very surprised” by Trump’s open invitation on Twitter, adding, “I had wanted to meet him again.”
Trump responded, thanking Kim for the meeting and calling it “a special moment.”
Watch Trump and Kim’s remarks here:
US President Donald Trump has just made history as the first sitting American president to step onto North Korean soil.
First, the two leaders strode toward the border line dividing the two Koreas.
They then shook hands, before walking together back across the line into South Korea.
They are now holding a private bilateral meeting at the demilitarized zone (DMZ).
US President Donald Trump was “proud to step over the line” into North Korea, he said sitting next to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Trump thanked Kim once again for meeting and added, “When I put out the social media notification, if he didn’t show up, the press was going to make me look very bad.”
Trump said because Kim showed up, they both looked good.
“This could be a very historic moment and I guess that’s what it is,” Trump said. “I think the relationship that we’ve developed has meant so much to so many people.”
US President Donald Trump has become the first sitting US President to step into North Korea.
He met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the border between the two Koreas just now, before stepping over and walking 20 steps into North Korea.
The two leaders are now holding a private bilateral meeting.
Watch the moment Trump stepped into North Korea:
As North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump met at the border line that divides the two Koreas, Kim said, “If you step over this line you will be the first US president to step on North Korean soil.”
Trump then stepped over, to which Kim said, “President Trump has just walked across the demarcation line. That has made him the first US President to visit our country. Actually just looking at this action, this is an expression of his willingness to eliminate all the unfortunate past and open a new future.”
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he and US President Donald Trump have an “excellent relationship.”
“If it wasn’t for that good relationship, we would not have been able to make this sudden meeting possible,” Kim said, adding: “I had wanted to meet you again.”
“So this excellent relationship in the future as well, I hope that it can be the foundation for better things in the future that people will be not expecting. And this will be a very mysterious force that allows us to overcome many difficulties that existed in the past.”
US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are meeting privately at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the Koreas, shortly after they shook hands and walked on either side of the military demarcation line which has split the Peninsula since the end of the Korean War in 1953.
It was an historical moment and a huge step forward in a relationship which appeared to be unravelling after a failed second summit between Trump and Kim in Hanoi, Vietnam earlier this year.
That relationship now seems to be firmly back on track, with Trump and Kim greeting each other warmly and appearing to enjoy each other’s company. Trump even suggested they could follow the meeting at the DMZ with a visit by Kim to the White House, the first ever time a North Korean leader would visit the US if it took place.
US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have just sat down together, with Kim saying he was “surprised” by the open invitation Trump issued over Twitter yesterday.
“I was very surprised to hear about your offer on the tweet and only late in the afternoon I was able to confirm your invitation. I had wanted to meet you again and especially for both Koreas, this place is a sign of unfortunate history of the past. So for our two Koreas to be able to have this opportunity for me to meet you here is very significant. It means that we can feel at ease and meet each other with positive mindsets. I believe that this will have a positive influence in all our discussions in the future,” Kim said.
North Korean Kim Jong Un told US President Donald Trump, “It’s good to see you again. I didn’t expect to meet you at this place.”
The two leaders first met at the line that divides the North and South. Trump then walked 20 steps into North Korea, making history as first sitting US leader to enter the country.
They then walked back over into the South side, where Trump invited Kim to the White House.
US President Donald Trump appeared to invite North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to visit Washington after they met at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the Koreas.
No North Korean leader has ever visited the US. It would be a colossal diplomatic achievement for Kim, who already achieved what none of his predecessors did in sitting down with a US leader when he met Trump for the first time in Singapore.
North Korea has long demanded to be treated as an equal by other countries, particularly the US. A summit in Washington would be be the greatest example of that and one that would be seen as a huge victory for Kim.
US President Donald Trump, standing with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on the south side of the Joint Security Area, has invited Kim to Washington.
“I’ll invite him to the White House right now,” Trump said before shaking hands with Kim, who did not immediately respond to Trump’s comment.
“A lot of really positive things are happening,” Trump said earlier. “Really positive.”
“This is a historic moment,” North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said of US President Donald Trump stepping into North Korea, across the military demarcation line separating the two Koreas.
“Stepping across that line was a great honor,” Trump said, adding that his and Kim’s was a “great friendship.”
After US President Trump walked over the border into North Korea, he shook hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un before the two turned back and walked into South Korea.
US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un just shook hands at the demilitarized zone (DMZ), the border that separates the two Koreas.
This is the first time the two leaders have met since their February summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, which ended abruptly without an agreement.
Earlier today, Trump had hinted that a third summit might be on the cards.
US President Donald Trump has made history becoming the first sitting US president to step foot on North Korean soil. Trump crossed over the demarcation line separating North and South Korea at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Only two former presidents have made visits to North Korea: Jimmy Carter, in June 1994, Bill Clinton in August 2009, and Carter again in August 2010. Both visited after they had left office.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has arrived at the Joint Security Area on the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas, where US President Donald Trump arrived himself a few minutes ago.
Trump and Kim’s meeting comes after Trump issued an open invitation via Twitter yesterday, while attending the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan.
US President Donald Trump has walked out into the Joint Security Area, walking toward the line that separates the Koreas, while Kim Jong Un walks towards him from the other direction.
North Korean security guards and members of the US Secret Service can be seen inspecting the area around where US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are expected to meet shortly. Neither Trump or Kim has yet been seen in the open at the DMZ.
US President Trump has arrived at the Joint Security Area, also known as the Truce Village or Panmunjom, along the border between North and South Korea.
The location is where South Korean President Moon Jae-in met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in 2018.
Presidents Donald Trump and Moon Jae-in have been at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) for an hour, but so far there’s been no sign of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
It’s still unclear so far exactly where Trump and Kim will be meeting at the DMZ.
The US troops at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) just gifted US President Donald Trump with a jacket that bears the names of the military commands stationed in South Korea.
“We have a small token of appreciation and recognition of your visit here to the Republic of Korea. We are thankful for your leadership. You and President Moon, and all that you do for the ROC-US alliance. We have a small token of appreciation. Everyone knows you’re a golfer. There are some golfers in the room. So we got you – we are hopeful, I know you get a lot of gifts, but we’re hoping that this one is one that might find some utility for you on the golf courses,” said a US officer.
“We hope that when you wear this on the golf course, you think about strength and the very nature of our alliance.”
South Korean President Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump are speaking to US and South Korean troops at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) right now.
“I’d like to thank you for your dedication. You are standing at the forefront, where you are safeguarding peace and freedom of the republic of Korea. This is the first time in history the President of the Republic of Korea and President of the United States have visited the demilitarized zone. Then today, this afternoon we have a more dramatic event that awaits us. And I’d like to thank President Trump for making such a bold decision. And now, the joint security area has been transformed from a symbol of confrontation and hostility to a symbol of peace. And all of you are actually witnesses to this great change,” said Moon.
Trump said he was happy to see the troops, saying they looked “healthy and strong.”
Speaking to US and South Korean troops on the demilitarized zone (DMZ), US President Trump apologized for not being able to spend long with them, saying he was to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in “about four minutes.”
“We respect each other, maybe even like each other,” Trump said of Kim.
US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in are meeting US and South Korean troops at the DMZ right now.
Moon said the troops were “safeguarding the peace and freedom of the Republic of Korea.”
US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in just spoke from the top of an observation tower that looks out at North Korea and the demilitarized zone (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas.
While at the observation tower, Trump and Moon received a briefing from US troops on the security at the DMZ – one of the most militarized borders on Earth.
“There was great conflict here… tremendous conflict and death all around here,” said US President Donald Trump, gesturing at his view of North Korea from an observation post.
“Now, it’s been extremely peaceful. It’s a whole different world. And I say that again for the people that keep saying nothing has been accomplished. So much was accomplished.”
Watch the moment here:
US President Donald Trump is speaking at a guard tower overlooking the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the Koreas.
Trump said the area used to be “very, very dangerous,” but has changed significantly since he began talking with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
“After our first summit, all the danger went away,” Trump said, adding there is a “tremendous difference” at the DMZ, which has seen a major reduction in armaments and militarization since talks began between Pyongyang, Washington and Seoul.
Former NBA star – and self-appointed diplomat to North Korea – Dennis Rodman has chimed in on US President Donald Trump’s visit to the DMZ today.
“Wishing my friends Donald Trump and Marshal Kim Jong Un a very good meeting,” Rodman tweeted, using the official North Korean title for Kim. “Much love to you both and keep up the wonderful progress!”
US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in have gone onto one of the observation posts that look out at North Korea.
At the post, they received a briefing from the US Commander describing the security along the demilitarized zone (DMZ), which is the most militarized border in the world.
“It’s worth thinking how different the DMZ that President Trump is seeing is from the DMZ other leaders have seen,” said CNN’s Paula Hancocks, commenting on the massive reduction in armaments of the DMZ since rapprochement began between North and South Korea.
Watch the moment here:
US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in have driven into the demilitarized zone (DMZ), which divides the two Koreas, and are expected to meet with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un in mere minutes.
They have gone onto one of the observation posts that offer a view of North Korea.
Both US President Donald Trump and his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in have confirmed that they will meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) today.
“I look forward to it very much,” Trump said. “We understand each other.”
Moon said this would be “the first time in history the leaders of the US and North Korea will be standing face to face in Panmunjom,” the border village in the DMZ.
One party to the meeting which hasn’t confirmed it: Pyongyang.
North Korean state media previously noted Trump’s comments about a potential meeting, and indications are that Kim is headed to the DMZ, but nothing is certain.
While presumably Trump and Moon would not have advertised the meeting unless they were certain it would happen, Kim has perhaps the biggest opportunity to snub a US leader in the history of relations between Pyongyang and Washington and show that it’s he, not the two men south of the DMZ, in charge of this issue.
After Kim and Trump’s much vaunted second summit in Hanoi, Vietnam ended in failure, it’s not impossible that an attempted reset today could result in similar embarrassment.
US President Donald Trump has arrived at the demilitarized zone (DMZ), where he is set to meet with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.
The helicopter carrying pool reporters traveling with US President Donald Trump to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) has arrived at the landing zone.
Kim Jong Un did not meet with any international leaders during his first five years in power. But since the start of 2018, he’s been racking up the miles – and the photo-ops.
Here’s who Kim has met so far:
For most of its history, the Korean Peninsula has existed as a single political entity. Its division was largely a part of Cold War political calculations that were made absent of any consideration or input from Koreans.
After the end of World War II, Korea was divided into two parts: The Soviet Union occupied the area north of the 38th parallel and the US occupied the area south until 1948.
Two new countries were established in 1948: The Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea).
Learn more about the split here.
US President Donald Trump has said that he hopes to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un today when he arrives at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas shortly.
Pyongyang, however, so far been coy, with state media saying only that the government had noted Trump’s statement with interest.
But at least one analyst thinks a meeting is already a done deal.
“President Trump and Chairman Kim will definitely meet along the DMZ and make history by shaking hands in front of the cameras but with an historic twist: Trump will cross briefly into North Korea and shake hands with Kim, becoming the first US president to officially set foot there, cementing both leader’s commitment to a better relationship,” predicted Harry J. Kazianis, senior director of Korean studies at the US-based Center for National Interest.
What to expect today: Kazianis added that “we should expect the meeting itself to be short but meaningful, as it will mark a reset in relations. It will also allow both sides to test each other’s intentions, possibly picking up from where negotiations left off in Hanoi.”
“Such a deal would likely see North Korea agree to a big step towards denuclearization for some sort of sanctions relief, a peace declaration ending the Korean War as well as the opening of liaison offices,” Kazianis said.
Many of Trump’s recent predecessors have travelled to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the Koreas, often photographed with binoculars peering into North Korean-controlled territory.
Here are pictures from some of their visits.
Former president Barack Obama visited the DMZ on March 25, 2012, before heading to Seoul for the 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit.
Before then, former president George W. Bush visited the DMZ on February 20, 2002.
Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan also visited the DMZ during their presidencies. Meanwhile, presidential aides often travel even closer, approaching or entering the famed blue houses that sit in between the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), the line that divides the DMZ in half.
Hillary Clinton went on one such trip when she was serving as Secretary of State in 2010.
US President Donald Trump is currently on his way to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) that separates the Koreas, where he is set to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
“Donald Trump is hoping that this is a reset in relations between the United States and North Korea,” said CNN’s Anna Coren.
Trump and Kim’s last summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, came to an abrupt end with no deal reached.
“Certainly Donald Trump is looking at this gesture as a way to regain momentum on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula,” Coren added.
Watch more of her on-air analysis here:
Denuclearization has been among the main topics of conversation during meetings between US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in today. Trump is now heading to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
It has been a long and winding road for the three countries, from Trump promising “fire and fury” to falling “in love” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Here’s are some of the highlights:
Read more about Trump and Kim’s road to Singapore here.
US President Donald Trump is heading to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) where he is expected to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
But let’s go back to basics. Here’s what you need to know about the DMZ:
US President Donald Trump has left Seoul and is en route the Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ), where he is expected to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
He should land at the border, which separates the two Koreas, in roughly half an hour.
US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in have just wrapped up a joint press conference, where they confirmed they would be meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Now, Trump is heading to the US Army Garrison Yongsan Landing Zone to greet US troops.
But all eyes are on what happens afterward – his trip to the demilitarized zone (DMZ), the border that separates the two Koreas, where he is expected to meet Kim.
US President Donald Trump, asked whether there would be a third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said, “Let’s see what happens today.”
Trump is set to meet with Kim at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) border later today – but Trump said it was “just a step.”
Asked by the US press what his meeting today with Kim will accomplish, Trump did not directly answer the question. Instead he touted the progress he claims to have made since taking office and pointed a finger at former President Obama, claiming if he wasn’t elected the US would be “right now at war with North Korea.”
Former Obama administration officials have disputed the notion that Trump’s predecessor was heading toward war with North Korea.
Speaking at a press conference in Seoul, US President Donald Trump reiterated that he had had a productive meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 on Saturday.
“Just to conclude on China, President Xi and I had a fantastic meeting, a great meeting. We get along. We also have a really, really good relationship. He wants to see something happen, and so would I, and I think there’s a really good chance of that happening,” Trump said.
Xi and Trump agreed to restart trade talks between the two nations yesterday.
Watch the moment here:
In an ongoing press conference, US President Donald Trump spoke about his “chemistry” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who he will meet at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) later today.
He remarked that the Obama administration had tried to arrange a meeting with the North Korean leader, but that Kim had refused.
“For some reason we have a certain chemistry – or whatever. Let’s see what happens. We have a long way to go. But I’m in no rush… So, I just want to say that we are going to be heading out to the DMZ and it’s something I planned long ago but had the idea yesterday to maybe say hello, just shake hands quickly and say hello. Because we haven’t seen each other since Vietnam. We had a great meeting in Vietnam, people don’t realize it. It’s all part of the whole negotiation. But we actually had a great meeting in Vietnam, we had a great meeting in Singapore,” Trump said.
Responding to a question, Trump also hinted that another summit with Kim might be on the cards.
“A third North Korea-US Summit, and the timing of that, really, that would depend on what kind of change today’s encounter will bring about. But we have expectations for future development, obviously,” he said.
In opening remarks at a joint press conference, US President Donald Trump confirmed he would be meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) later today.
“We have developed a very good relationship and we understand each other, I do believe he understands me and I think I maybe understand him and sometimes that can lead to very good things.”
Watch the moment here:
In opening remarks at a joint press conference, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said he hopes for “enduring peace on the Korean Peninsula.”
“If we continue to communicate and engage with each other in dialogue, we can move toward the best situation. This is something we will be able to see for ourselves today. South and North will be able to become confident about peace and the world will provide their support and cheer on President Trump and Kim with high expectations. What we need here is enduring peace on the Korean peninsula,” Moon said.
“I hope that President Trump will go down in history as a President who brought peace on the Korean Peninsula. Peace requires more courage than conflict. I would like extend my appreciation to the two leaders for being so great. And I am very overwhelmed with emotion because we have been able to pave the way towards peace for Korea,” Moon added.
Watch the moment here:
US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in are now holding a joint press conference after their working lunch earlier today.
Nuclear talks between the United States and North Korea have appeared to come to something of a standstill in recent weeks.
Trump and Kim last met face-to-face at the end of February in Hanoi, Vietnam. But their second summit ended early without an agreement, with both sides claiming the other over-reached.
In the weeks that followed the collapsed summit, there was little word of any progress between the two sides.
Trump and Kim’s “beautiful” letters: Things have looked more positive recently, with the two leaders exchanging personal letters. Trump said earlier in June that he received a “beautiful” letter from Kim, and the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported days later that Kim received a personal letter from Trump.
Kim was satisfied with the letter’s “excellent content,” KCNA said. “Kim Jong Un said that he would seriously contemplate the serious content” and appreciated the “extraordinary courage of President Trump.”
US President Donald Trump’s visit to Seoul today marks his second trip as President to South Korea.
His last visit was in November 2017, as part of a larger tour of Pacific nations where he met with other world leaders including Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
That 2017 visit had come as tensions heightened over North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. While in Seoul, Trump had stressed the urgency of curbing North Korea’s advances, saying “North Korea is a worldwide threat that requires worldwide action.”
He had also attempted to visit to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North Korea and South Korea, but was forced to turn back because of bad weather.
Since then, Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have met at two summits, in Singapore and Vietnam. The two leaders have also exchanged complimentary letters to each other; earlier this month, Trump told reporters about a “beautiful letter” he received from Kim, and last week, Kim said he received an “excellent” personal letter from Trump.
US President Donald Trump’s visit to the Korean Peninsula comes less than two weeks since China’s Xi Jinping made his first trip to North Korea as President.
The visit was the first by a Chinese leader to North Korea since 2005, before the country ramped up its nuclear weapons testing.
The two countries are celebrating the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year. Xi’s trip was largely a symbolic affair, punctuated with official meetings.
Much of the coverage of the trip in Chinese state media addressed ongoing tensions with Washington.
Xi told Kim “the international community” was hoping for further successful talks between North Korea and the US on denuclearization, according to China’s official Xinhua news agency.
Both countries’ state media coverage was filled with paeans to the historical relationship between China and North Korea, ignoring the recent rocky years between the two countries – during which time Kim executed and purged pro-China officials, and Xi approved UN sanctions against North Korea as punishment for their nuclear weapons development.
Read more about the evolving relationship between Xi, Trump, and Kim here.
The north side of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the Koreas has been closed to tourists ahead of an expected meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, according to Koryo Tours, which organizes visits to the northern side.
“That doesn’t happen often,” Koryo Tours general manager Simon Cockerell told CNN. “Suggests something is going on.”
Cockerell added that the north side wouldn’t be closed “just because someone is visiting from the south, it’s been open when various VIPs have been there” on the southern side of the de facto border.
US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in have sat down for a working lunch following their bilateral meeting earlier this morning.
“I look forward to saying hello to him if that all finally works out… It sounds like the teams would like to have that work out,” he added.
Later today, US President Trump will head to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas – his first visit to the border. It remains to be seen if North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will drop by as well.
If Trump crosses the border into North Korea, he will be the first sitting US president to do so.
Only two former presidents have made visits to North Korea: Jimmy Carter, in June 1994, Bill Clinton in August 2009, and Carter again in August 2010. Both visited after they had left office.
However, high-ranking US officials have visited the country before. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has visited four times, and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright visited in 2000 while serving under the Clinton administration.
Chinese state media has reacted approvingly to US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s meeting at the G20 on Saturday, in which they agreed to restart trade talks between the two nations.
Here’s the official state news agency Xinhua:
Restarting trade talks “means that the efforts to resolve the trade differences between the two countries are back onto the right track,” Xinhua added.
Meanwhile, the Global Times, a state-run tabloid, took a more skeptical tone, saying the agreement was “in line with the best expectations of international public opinion.”
Given the fact that the Sino-US trade talks have run hot and cold in the past, opinions are divided over whether the new round of trade talks will successfully do the job.
The agreement has broken the deadlock between China and the US. However, Beijing and Washington still face the arduous task of implementing the consensus reached between the two presidents while overcoming differences during the negotiations.
“It is not a big surprise for Xi and Trump to reach such an agreement,” Global Times added. “Such a result is undoubtedly in the interests of both the Chinese and US societies as it frees people in both countries from the fear of an escalating trade war.”
In a separate piece, Xinhua also waxed effusive about Xi having “led a chorus for safeguarding multilateralism and charting the course for the world economy and global governance.”
Six weeks after Huawei was blacklisted by the US government, President Donald Trump said Saturday that “US companies can sell their equipment to Huawei,” allowing the transactions won’t present a “great, national emergency problem.”
Trump’s comments at the G20 in Japan came after a widely anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two sides met to discuss the impasse in the trade dispute, and Huawei, one of the largest smartphone manufacturers in the world, has become a flash point in the battle.
In May, the US Commerce Department banned sales of American-made goods to Huawei without first obtaining a license. US officials have accused the company of working to undermine US national security and foreign policy interests.
Trump said Huawei was still part of the ongoing trade discussions between Washington and Beijing, but for now, he would move to resume allowing US companies to sell parts to the Chinese firm.
Huawei responded on one of the company’s official Twitter accounts:
“U-turn? Donald Trump suggests he would allow #Huawei to once again purchase U.S. technology!”
Mostly elderly pro-American protesters are out in force in Seoul to greet US President Donald Trump as he visits the South Korean capital.
Waving US and South Korean flags, these protesters are a common sight at any event involving North Korea, urging their government to take a harder line on the country’s neighbor and criticizing South Korean President Moon Jae-in for his outreach to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Right wing groups often hold anti-North Korea rallies in central Seoul and have in the past burned photos and effigies of the country’s leaders. Many attendees are veterans of the Korean War and attend wearing uniforms.
Trump’s embrace of North Korea has caused some awkwardness for these groups, whose fierce anti-North Korea sentiment is only equalled by their love for the US.
When it comes to brokering a deal between North Korea and the United States, South Korean President Moon Jae-in is out and China’s Xi Jinping is in.
China started on the sidelines: It’s a dramatic reversal from months ago, when Moon looked on track for a Nobel Peace Prize for bringing the two parties together and securing both an historic summit between himself and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and later between Kim and Trump.
While China supported this effort, North Korea’s traditional ally seemed at risk of being sidelined, as Pyongyang looked south for support both economic and diplomatically.
Xi’s increasing influence: After the second Kim-Trump meeting fell apart in Hanoi without a deal, Xi’s influence has increased again.
Meanwhile, Pyongyang has tested short-range weapons and unleashed a propaganda broadside against Seoul, in apparent punishment for Moon’s failure to keep the peace process moving along and unwillingness to provide sanctions relief where Washington will not.
Where things stand now: Trump is in South Korea Sunday for his first visit to the Korean Peninsula since talks with Pyongyang began, and is expected to visit the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the two countries, where he has teased that he may meet Kim in person.
While he has framed any potential meeting as more of a photo-op than anything else, the US President appears to be in a deal making mood, buoyed by a successful meeting with Xi at the G20 after which he rolled back some of Washington’s restrictions on Chinese telecoms giant Huawei.
Xi appears to have gotten what he wanted then from the meetings in Osaka, it remains to be seen now if he will use his influence on Kim to get Trump something he wants in South Korea. The three leaders are in a diplomatic triangle, each relying on the others to get them what they desire.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said he would accompany US President Donald Trump to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas when Trump visits later today.
Mister President, if you could meet Chairman Kim at the demarcation line and have a handshake with him, I believe that picture in itself would represent a historic event and also this would be a significant milestone in terms of the process that we are in. The peace process that we are trying to achieve – denuclearization. I will of course be accompanying you to the DMZ today, and the focus of the dialog would be, of course, between you and Chairman Kim. So I do hope that you will be able to achieve great progress and dialogue with Chairman Kim,” Moon said.
US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in have just started their bilateral meeting at the Blue House in Seoul.
Speaking at a breakfast meeting with business leaders in Seoul, President Donald Trump touched on a variety of foreign and domestic topics.
Here are some of his comments:
After the breakfast meeting, Trump is heading to the Blue House, the official residence of the South Korean President, where he will hold a bilateral meeting with the country’s leader Moon Jae-in.
US President Donald Trump told a gathering of South Korean business executives Sunday morning that the US would continue its investments in the country, but that he expected a more reciprocal relationship going forward.
“We’re doing a lot for you. We’re doing a lot. We’re spending a lot of money. Money that hasn’t been reimbursed. They’re agreeing to reimburse us for some of this because the cost is astronomical. We have 42,000 soldiers. We’ve had them for many years. And we’re working on that. And it’s really working along well… You’re going to have a very safe country,” Trump said.
Trump has previously bemoaned the costs of housing US troops in South Korea, and his administration recently negotiated an agreement by which South Korea would pay more.
The dispute had led to fears Trump would propose a withdrawal or drawdown of US troops in the country, but he suggested Sunday the matter had been resolved to his liking.
Trump also went on various tangents about the construction business, saying he’d admired several landmarks from the Seoul skyline as he was landing, and later recalling his advice to a fellow developer, who Trump said built buildings with windows that were too small.
“It’s nice to build them nice. It doesn’t cost that much more,” he said.
US President Donald Trump says a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the demilitarized zone (DMZ), which separates the two Koreas, has yet to be confirmed.
Asked whether he’d firmed up the encounter, proposed a day earlier, Trump said arrangements were still being sorted.
“We’re trying to work it out,” Trump said. “We both want to do it.”
Trump said if he does meet Kim, it would be brief – which is fine, he said.
Speaking to Bloomberg today, Ivanka Trump, the US President’s daughter, said she would “absolutely” step over the border at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas “if I was invited.”
“We need to continue that dialogue to work in good faith to realize that goal (of denuclearization). Today is another step in that direction,” Ivanka said.
It’s unclear whether she will be accompanying US President Donald Trump in his trip to the DMZ later, during which he is widely expected to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and become the first sitting US leader to step into North Korea.
While Ivanka is an advisor to the president, her presence alongside him at meetings with world leaders – including at the G20 this week – has been highly controversial. The first daughter was perhaps the most prominent non world leader at meetings in Osaka this week, appearing to insert herself into conversations and meetings some have argued she didn’t necessarily have a place being in.
US President Donald Trump said Sunday the North Koreans have indicated they want to meet when he visits the Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ) later today.
He stopped short of confirming such an encounter would actually occur.
Trump hailed his relationship with leader Kim Jong Un, saying there’s a “good feeling” between the two men.
“I think we have a very good relationship, the two of us. I don’t know beyond the two of us,” Trump said.
In another indication that a meeting may be taking place today, Koryo Tours, which organizes visits to the DMZ on the North Korean side, said access was closed to tourists Sunday.
President Donald Trump is going to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea today.
After meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in the morning, Trump will travel to the DMZ – his first time there. He attempted a visit in 2017, but was forced to turn back because of bad weather.
The big question of today is whether North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will stop by the DMZ as well. Yesterday, Trump tweeted out an open invitation for the two to shake hands and “say hello.”
“It’s very hard,” he said of the US-North Korea situation yesterday at the G20, adding that Kim “follows my Twitter.”
As for what he would expect for a potential meeting, Trump said, “We’re not talking about extended – just a quick hello.”
In response, a senior North Korean government official was quoted in state news agency KCNA as saying Trump’s invite was a “very interesting suggestion.”
It remains unclear at this point if Kim will show.
US President Donald Trump has traditionally thrived in one-on-one meetings with world leaders, where he can use his personal charm and much vaunted deals-making abilities to their maximum effect, and the G20 was no different.
Judging from his Twitter, Trump seems to have had a good summit. Following “very good” talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said trade negotiations were “back on track” and lifted some restrictions on Chinese telecoms giant Huawei.
He added that China will buy “large amounts of agricultural product” from US farmers.
“Our relationship with them continues to be a very good one,” Trump said. “The quality of the transaction is far more important to me than speed. I am in no hurry, but things look very good! There will be no reduction in the Tariffs currently being charged to China.”
He was also pleased with his reception at the G20 – though his joking with Russian President Vladimir Putin and praising of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman didn’t go down so well at home – saying that “the leaders of virtually every country that I met at the G-20 congratulated me on our great economy.”
US President Donald Trump is in South Korea today, fresh from the two day G20 Summit in the Japanese city of Osaka, which wrapped up Saturday.
But all eyes will be on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who Trump has invited for a “hand shake” at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas.
Here’s what you need to know:
