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Danang in Vietnam top candidate venue for Kim-Trump summit

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands at their historic summit at the Capella Resort in Singapore, June 12. / Korea Times file
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands at their historic summit at the Capella Resort in Singapore, June 12. / Korea Times file

By Kim Bo-eun

Attention is focusing on the location of a second summit between the leaders of Pyongyang and Washington, after U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday negotiations were underway to select a site.

It appears likely it will be someplace in Asia this time as well, as it would have to be somewhere North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's plane, the Chammae-1, could take him. Trump said last month the location would have to be "within plane distance." Kim's Ilyushin IL-62M jet is known to be able to travel up to 7,000 kilometers.

Vietnam is rising as the most likely location. There were reports that Mark Lambert, acting U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, visited Vietnam and Mongolia last month.

North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho also visited Vietnam in November.

The Vietnamese government at the time conveyed to Ri its wishes to host the second summit between Kim and Trump, according to Yonhap News Agency.

The report also said Vietnamese National Assembly Chairwoman Nguen Thi Kim Ngan requested support for the country to host the summit, when she met with President Moon Jae-in last month during her visit to South Korea.

Vietnam is seeking to host the summit at the resort city of Danang, it said.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Seoul did not respond to a request to confirm this report.

Park Won-gon, professor at Handdong Global University, said "Vietnam is in conflict with China over the South China Sea, but has good relations with the U.S."

"It also has amiable relations with North Korea, as North Korea dispatched troops during the Vietnam War. In addition, holding the summit in Vietnam has a symbolic meaning, as the country could serve as an economic model for North Korea."

Shin Beom-chul, senior fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, agreed. "Vietnam holds a balance between China and the U.S. It has good relations with the U.S. and can also present North Korea with a model for opening its economy."

Meanwhile, Mongolia has been raised as another potential site.

Park said, "North Korea may favor Mongolia because its leader can take a land route."

Shin said, "North Korea may prefer Mongolia but the U.S. may be against the idea because Mongolia is pro-China."

Indonesia could be a possible location because it has a North Korean embassy as well as friendly relations with the U.S., Park said.

CNN referred to Vietnam, Indonesia, Hawaii, Mongolia and Panmunjeom as having been raised as possible sites.

However, Hawaii will likely be dropped as it is not only far from Pyongyang, but does not have a North Korean embassy there, where officials could make preparations.


Kim Bo-eun bkim@koreatimes.co.kr


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