Kim likely to meet Trump at DMZ for summit

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has agreed to meet United States President Donald Trump at the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), which separates North and South Korea respectively, a source told CNN.

The source said that during the historic inter-Korean summit on Friday, South Korean President Moon Jae-in convinced Kim to meet the US President at the Peace House in Panmunjom in DMZ.

It further said that there was now a "strong possibility" of hosting the US-North Korea summit at the DMZ, adding it was logistically convenient for Kim since media facilities and equipment are already in place.

Additionally, the source revealed to CNN that some events could be held on the northern side of the DMZ.

 

The US-North Korea summit is scheduled to take place either in May or June. It would be the first time a sitting US President would meet with a North Korean Supreme Leader.

Trump on Monday hinted in a tweet that the bilateral summit may be conducted at the Peace House in Panmunjom or the Freedom House in Singapore.

"Numerous countries are being considered for the MEETING, but would Peace House/Freedom House, on the Border of North & South Korea, be a more Representative, Important and Lasting site than a third party country? Just asking!" the US President tweeted.

Trump added that he loved the images of the inter-Korean summit when Moon and Kim met and wished that he wanted to be involved in similar scenes.

However, the source further told CNN that administration officials were still pressing for Singapore as a possible location for the US-North Korea summit, adding that it was a more neutral option for Trump.

Singapore is one of the few countries that have diplomatic ties with North Korea and has an embassy as well.

Singapore is also considered a close ally of Washington D.C, as it hosts a military base for the US.

However, Kim is reluctant to travel to long distances, owing to security issues, the source said.

On Sunday, Trump said that a meeting between the US and North Korea is likely possible in "three or four weeks".

Another option previously suggested by both sides was Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, which is near to North Korea. Travelling to the sparsely-populated country will not pose a problem for Kim, as the two countries are connected by a railway link.