Summit of the century

Both leaders arrived on Sunday (June 10), Kim Jong Un is staying at the St. Regis hotel while Trump is staying at the Shangri La hotel a little over a kilometre away from each other. When Trump and Kim meet on Tuesday (June 12) at Sentosa, a resort island off Singapore's port with a Universal Studios theme park and man-made beaches, they will be making history. Enemies since the 1950-53 Korean War, leaders of North Korea and the United States have never met previously - or even spoken on the telephone.

Howard, an Australian-Chinese impersonating North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and Dennis Alan, impersonating U.S. President Donald Trump, meet at Merlion Park in Singapore June 8, 2018. Reuters
A group of tourists (L) take a 'wefie' with the Merlion statue in Singapore, 05 June 2018 (Issued 06 June 2018). The White House has confirmed that US President Donald J. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will meet at the Capella Hotel for their expected historic summit on 12 June 2018. EPA
Children play in a water fountain in Sentosa, Singapore, 07 June 2018. US President Donald J. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are scheduled to meet at the Capella Hotel in Sentosa for a historic summit on 12 June 2018. EPA
A man takes a photograph while pictured against the skyline of the financial district in Singapore, 06 June 2018. The White House has confirmed that US President Donald J. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will meet at the Capella Hotel on Singapore's Sentosa Island for their expected historic summit on 12 June 2018. EPA
An undated handout photo of Capella hotel on Sentosa island, Singapore, released June 5, 2018. Reuters
Police officers patrol the Esplanade Bridge in Singapore, June 10, 2018. Reuters
FILE PHOTO: A Gurkha soldier stands guard at the Shangri-La Hotel where the 12th International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Asia Security Summit: The Shangri-La Dialogue is taking place, in Singapore May 31, 2013. Reuters
North Korean and American themed shots containing soju (L) and vodka (R) from Escobar in Singapore, 08 June 2018. US President Donald J. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un are scheduled to meet on 12 June 2018. The summit will take place at the Capella Hotel on the tourist island of Sentosa. EPA
Customers have pictures taken of them while standing behind cut outs and posters of US President Donald J. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un advertising a Trump Kim summit themed dish named 'Harmony Nasi Lemak' outside an OSG Bar and restaurant in Singapore, 08 June 2018. The dish comprises of dry-aged beef from the United States with kimchi, sambal with ikan bills and rice, priced at around 21 Singapore dollars (13 euros). US President Donald J. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are scheduled to meet at the Capella Hotel in Sentosa for an historic summit on 12 June 2018. EPA
Christians hold candles during a prayer service to wish for a successful upcoming summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un and peace on the Korea peninsular in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, June 7, 2018. A planned summit between President Donald Trump and North Korea'e leader Kim Jong Un will held in Singapore on June 12. AP
A plane believed to be carrying North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un approaches to land in Singapore June 10, 2018. Reuters
A handout photo made available by the Ministry of Communications and Information of Singapore shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L) is welcomed by Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan (2-R) upon his arrival at Changi Airport in Singapore, 10 June 2018. The North Korean leader was scheduled to meet 10 June 2018 with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong ahead of a historic summit between US President Donald J. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, scheduled to be held at the Capella Hotel on Singapore's Sentosa Island on 12 June 2018. EPA
The vehicle carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un makes its way to the Istana, ahead of the summit between the North Korean leader and U.S. President Donald Trump, in Singapore June 10, 2018. Reuters
A member of the North Korean security personnel wears a pin as he waits for the arrival of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un at a hotel in Singapore June 10, 2018, ahead of the summit between the North Korean leader and U.S. President Donald Trump. Reuters
Air Force One carrying US President Donald J Trump arrives at the Paya Lebar Air Base in Singapore, 10 June 2018. US President Donald J. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are scheduled to meet at the Capella Hotel for a historic summit on 12 June 2018. EPA
A soldier stands guard ahead of the arrival of U.S. President Donald Trump at Paya Lebar Air Base in Singapore, before a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, June 10, 2018. Reuters
People look at US President Donald Trump's arrival at the airport on tv screens in the International Media Centre for the DPRK-US Singapore Summit in Singapore, 10 June 2018. US President Donald J. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are scheduled to meet at the Capella Hotel in Sentosa for an historic summit on 12 June 2018. EPA
U.S. President Donald Trump waves to the crowd after arriving in Singapore on June 10, 2018. Yonhap
A journalist reads a local newspaper showing an article on the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un near St. Regis hotel in Singapore June 11, 2018. Reuters
People watch a large screen at the main train station airing video of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shaking hands with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during his trip to Singapore in Pyongyang, North Korea, Monday, June 11, 2018. Kim is in Singapore to attend a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. AP
A handout photo taken by Ministry of Communications and Information of Singapore on June 11, 2018 shows US President Donald Trump (L) being welcomed by Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (R) during his visit to The Istana, the official residence of the prime minister, in Singapore. Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump will meet on June 12 for an unprecedented summit in an attempt to address the last festering legacy of the Cold War, with the US President calling it a 'one time shot' at peace. Ministry of Communications and Information of Singapore
In this photo released by the Ministry of Communications and Information of Singapore, U.S. President Donald Trump blows out a candle on a cake celebrating an early birthday during lunch with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Singapore, Monday, June 11, 2018. Trump turns 72 on Thursday. Ministry of Communications and Information of Singapore
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C-R) and Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan (C-L) take selfies on the Jubilee bridge at the Esplanade in Singapore, 11 June 2018. EPA
Kim Jong-un, center, poses for a selfie with Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, left, at Gardens by the Bay in the city-state on June 11. Captured from twitter account @VivianBala
A conductor changes the newspaper to the latest edition showing images of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore, at a news stand on a subway platform of the Pyongyang metro on June 12, 2018. AFP
North Korean media travel with the motorcade of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un towards Sentosa for his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, in Singapore June 12, 2018. Reuters
A worker vacuums the stage at the spot where U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un are expected to meet and shake hands for the first time at the start of their summit at the Capella Hotel on Singapore's resort island of Sentosa in Singapore June 12, 2018. Reuters
Members of the media look at screens showing US President Donald J. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un meeting at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa Island at the International Press Center for the US-North Korea Singapore Summit in Singapore, 12 June 2018. The summit marks the first meeting between an incumbent US President and a North Korean leader. EPA
U. S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with North Korea leader Kim Jong Un at the Capella resort on Sentosa Island Tuesday, June 12, 2018 in Singapore. AP
TV screens shows U.S. President Donald Trump, right, meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore, during a news program at Yongsan Electronic store in Seoul, South Korea, South Korea, Tuesday, June 12, 2018. AP
US President Donald J. Trump (R) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L) shake hands at the start of a historic summit at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa Island, Singapore, 12 June 2018. The summit marks the first meeting between an incumbent US President and a North Korean leader. EPA
A staff of a Japanese news paper Yomiuri distributes an extra edition of the newspaper reporting about the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore, at Shimbashi Station in Tokyo, Tuesday, June 12, 2018. AP
North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un looks on while seated with members of his delegation during the US-North Korea summit with U.S. President Donald Trump (not pictured) at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island in Singapore on June 12, 2018. AFP
U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un walk from their lunch at the Capella resort on Sentosa Island Tuesday, June 12, 2018 in Singapore. AP
North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (L) shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump (R) after taking part in a signing ceremony at the end of their historic US-North Korea summit, at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island in Singapore on June 12, 2018. AFP
U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a document signed by him and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un following a signing ceremony during their historic US-North Korea summit, at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island in Singapore on June 12, 2018. AFP
North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (L) and U.S. President Donald Trump leave following a signing ceremony during their historic US-North Korea summit, at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island in Singapore on June 12, 2018. AFP




Choi Won-suk wschoi@koreatimes.co.kr

Top 10 Stories

LETTER

Sign up for eNewsletter