S. Korean President Security Adviser Says Trump to Meet N. Korea's Kim by May; White House Confirms Meeting
- 6 years ago
U.S. President Donald Trump will meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in the next few months. That announcement was made by South Korea's national security chief in Washington to discuss the outcome of his recent trip to Pyongyang with U.S. officials.
Let's go live to our chief Blue House correspondent Moon Connyoung for the details.
Connyoung.
One historic breakthrough after another, really.
U.S.President Donald Trump has agreed to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un by May after Kim pledged to refrain from further nuclear tests and move toward denuclearization.
The stunning announcement was made by South Korean President Moon Jae-in's National Security Adviser Chung Eui-Yong outside the White House shortly after his meeting with President Trump to brief the U.S. leader on the outcome of South Korea's special envoys' rare trip to Pyongyang earlier this week.
First, let's listen in.
"... he expressed his eagerness to meet President Trump as soon as possible. President Trump appreciated the briefing and said he would meet Kim Jong Un by May to achieve permanent denuclearization."
It was an extraordinary scene - a foreign official, unaccompanied by U.S. leaders, briefing the press at the White House about the American president's plans.
"I told President Trump that in our meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he is committed to denuclearization. Kim pledged that North Korea will refrain from any further nuclear or missile tests. He understands that the routine joint military exercises between the Republic of Korea and the United States must continue. And he expressed his eagerness to meet President Trump as soon as possible."
The meeting, if it does take place, would make Trump the first sitting U.S. president to meet with his North Korean counterpart, a stunning diplomatic breakthrough with uncertain consequences.
Has the White House released any official statement on the stunning announcement by the South Korean president's National Security Adviser?
Well, official confirmations from the White House did follow Chung's remarks.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed the news... saying Mr Trump would accept the invitation to meet Mr Kim at a place and time to be determined.
That was almost immediately followed by a tweet by President Donald Trump.
He said North Korea's Kim Jong-un had talked about denuclearization with the South Korean representatives, not just a freeze... and that a meeting is being planned.
He also reiterated that sanctions, however, would remain in place in for the time being... which is in line with South Korean President Moon Jae-in's response after the Blue House announcement that the leaders of South and North Korea would hold the first summit in more than a decade in late April.
Let's go live to our chief Blue House correspondent Moon Connyoung for the details.
Connyoung.
One historic breakthrough after another, really.
U.S.President Donald Trump has agreed to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un by May after Kim pledged to refrain from further nuclear tests and move toward denuclearization.
The stunning announcement was made by South Korean President Moon Jae-in's National Security Adviser Chung Eui-Yong outside the White House shortly after his meeting with President Trump to brief the U.S. leader on the outcome of South Korea's special envoys' rare trip to Pyongyang earlier this week.
First, let's listen in.
"... he expressed his eagerness to meet President Trump as soon as possible. President Trump appreciated the briefing and said he would meet Kim Jong Un by May to achieve permanent denuclearization."
It was an extraordinary scene - a foreign official, unaccompanied by U.S. leaders, briefing the press at the White House about the American president's plans.
"I told President Trump that in our meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he is committed to denuclearization. Kim pledged that North Korea will refrain from any further nuclear or missile tests. He understands that the routine joint military exercises between the Republic of Korea and the United States must continue. And he expressed his eagerness to meet President Trump as soon as possible."
The meeting, if it does take place, would make Trump the first sitting U.S. president to meet with his North Korean counterpart, a stunning diplomatic breakthrough with uncertain consequences.
Has the White House released any official statement on the stunning announcement by the South Korean president's National Security Adviser?
Well, official confirmations from the White House did follow Chung's remarks.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed the news... saying Mr Trump would accept the invitation to meet Mr Kim at a place and time to be determined.
That was almost immediately followed by a tweet by President Donald Trump.
He said North Korea's Kim Jong-un had talked about denuclearization with the South Korean representatives, not just a freeze... and that a meeting is being planned.
He also reiterated that sanctions, however, would remain in place in for the time being... which is in line with South Korean President Moon Jae-in's response after the Blue House announcement that the leaders of South and North Korea would hold the first summit in more than a decade in late April.