Trump dangles US invite for Kim
Reports say the US and N Korea leaders may reach Singapore tomorrow
US President Donald Trump has held out the prospect of inviting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to the White House if he deemed next week's summit a success while also signaling he was willing to walk away if he thought talks did not go well.
At a White House news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Trump also repeated what he said last week that it was possible he and Kim could sign an agreement to end the 1950-53 Korean War, which was concluded only with a truce, not a peace treaty.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Trump will reject anything short of "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." Pompeo, however, added that the US would work to guarantee North Korea's security should it denuclearise.
Pompeo plans to stay in the region following the summit to meet with officials from Japan and South Korea and to travel to China, an important North Korean ally, to discuss the next steps involving Pyongyang.
Trump told reporters on Thursday he would quit the talks if he felt he must, and would ramp up US sanctions pressure on North Korea if the talks did not go well.
On the other hand, Trump said he might extend an invitation to Kim to Washington.
"Certainly if it goes well. I think it would be well received," he said in answer to a question. "I think he would look at it very favorably so I think that could happen."
Pompeo, who has twice met with Kim in Pyongyang, said he believes the North Korean leader is prepared to take "bold" steps to alter the course of his nation.
Asked whether the two sides had narrowed their differences on how they defined denuclearization, Pompeo said they had, but he declined to give details.
Meanwhile, The Straits Times yesterday reported that Trump may arrive in Singapore early for his much-anticipated summit with Kim Jong Un.
The president's previous departure time was set at 2.15pm on Saturday (2.15am Sunday Singapore time) and he had been expected to land in Singapore at 11pm on Sunday.
"The President will travel directly to Singapore from Canada in anticipation of his upcoming meeting with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un Tuesday," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. Trump is in Canada for attending G7 summit.
North Korean leader was also expected to fly into Singapore's Changi airport tomorrow.