President Trump said Monday that Singapore and Korea’s Demilitarized Zone are being considered as locations for his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
“We’re looking at various countries including Singapore. And we are also talking about the possibility of the DMZ — Peace House, Freedom House. There’s something that I thought was intriguing,” Trump said during a press conference at the White House with Nigeria’s president.
“I think that some people maybe don’t like the look of that, and some people like it very much,” he said. “I threw it out today as an idea. I also told President Moon [of South Korea], and through President Moon we connected with North Korea.”
Trump continued: “There’s something that I like about it because you’re there, you’re actually there. Where if things work out, there’s a great celebration to be had on the site, not in a third-party country.”
The meeting between Trump and Kim could happen as early as next month, or in early June. After a turbulent year of insults and weapon tests, Kim extended an offer to meet in March. The young leader subsequently met with Chinese and South Korean leaders in his first visits to the neighboring countries since assuming office in 2011.
“I will say this, the good news everyone wants us, it has a chance to be a big event,” Trump said.
In response to a shouted question, he said he will define success by North Korea “get[ting] rid of the nuclear weapons.”
“I often say, ‘Who knows.’ Who knows. Maybe a lot of things change. But Kim Jong Un, who has been very open and very straightforward so far, I can only say so far, but is talking about getting rid of the [nuclear testing] site, which was their big site, he’s talking about no research, no launching of ballistic missiles, no nuclear testing. And he’s lived up to that for a long time,” Trump said.
“If it’s not a success. … I will respectfully leave,” he said.
