Had tremendous success with N Korea: Trump

US President Donald Trump today told his cabinet members that he had "tremendous success" with North Korea, more than a week after his historic meeting with the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore.

In his first Cabinet meeting after his June 12 meeting with Kim in Singapore, Trump said the US was continuing its work on North Korea.

"We had a tremendous success in North Korea... It's been an incredible experience. The relationship is very good. They've stopped the sending of missiles, including ballistic missiles. They're destroying their engine site.

"They are blowing it up. They've already blown up one of their big test sites. The big thing is it will be a total denuclearisation which is already started taking place," Trump told his Cabinet colleague at the White House.

 

Briefing his Cabinet colleagues, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the the two countries had made significant progress.

"Most importantly not only our allies most directly affected the South Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, but a broader circle of that. I've talked with the Brits, the Australians, talk with other Europeans. Each of them understands that we have fundamentally a set of course that has the opportunity to change humanity," he said.

Pompeo said they were all on board and all working.

He said they were all supportive of US' theory of continuing the sanctions until the complete denuclearisation.

"We have got a unified world," he said.

Trump told his Cabinet members that the North Koreans were in the process if sending back the remains of the US great heroes who died in North Korea during the war.

"That's already in the process of coming back. Plus, as you all know very well, we got back to our hostages are three hostages or right now, living very happily with their families. We're very happy about that," he said.

The US has made tremendous progress with respect to North Korea, he said.

"Since I last spoke to you, what we agreed to do is have a meeting. I know that some of the media says, oh, they agreed to meet and anybody would have agreed to meet. And it would not have been possible for past administrations to have met in the way that we've met.

"This was an incredible important reading all over Asia. They're in love with the United States because what we've done," he said.

Referring to his conversation with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Trump said he was so thrilled he didn't have rockets going over Japan.

"That makes them very happy. He's thrilled not to see rockets going over Japan. There were plenty of them sent right over Japan and he (Abe) said, I want to thank you because what you've done is incredible. There are no more rockets going," he said.

At the same time, Trump warned that things could change.

"At this stage, things can change, personalities can change, maybe you end up with conflict, maybe you don't, but the relationship that Mike has and I have with Chairman Kim and his group is a very good one, very strong one. I think it's going to lead to tremendous success," Trump said.

"The documentary we signed, if people actually read it to the public, you'd see number one statement, we will immediately begin total denuclearization of North Korea. Nobody thought that would be possible," he added.

Trump said when he came to power, he was told that the US was headed for a war with North Korea, but that was no longer the case.

"We've had some very good news even over the last couple of days. They want to get it done. We want to get it done. So North Korea has been an incredible experience for me. We think that it (North Korea) has tremendous potential. Chairman Kim thinks it has tremendous potential," he said.

Trump also thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping for his cooperation on North Korea.

"I wanted to thank President Xi of China because the border was very strong during a very critical period. Unfortunately, the border is getting a little bit weaker now. But that's okay. But you have to get him to keep it tough. But I do want to thank President Xi of China," he said.