Download the all-new Republic app:

Published 14:49 IST, June 30th 2019

Donald Trump becomes the first U.S president to step in North Korea to meet Supreme leader Kim Jong-un, says, "We liked each other from day one"

Making a landmark visit, US President Donald Trump met the Supreme Leader of North Korea Kim Jong-un in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North Korea and South Korea, becoming the first ever U.S President to step onto the North Korean soil.

Reported by: Koushik Narayanan
Follow: Google News Icon
  • share
null | Image: self
Advertisement

Making a landmark visit, US President Donald Trump met the Supreme Leader of North Korea Kim Jong-un in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North Korea and South Korea, becoming the first ever U.S President to step onto the North Korean soil.

Kim Jong-un extended Trump the invitation to step on to the other side of the demarcation line following which Trump did so into the North Korean territory. 

Advertisement

The meeting took place on June 29 after Trump suggested to Kim Jong-un via Twitter to meet and "say hello" as Trump was in the region, attending the G20 summit at Osaka, Japan alongside other world leaders including PM Modi.

Trump traveled to the DMZ with the South Korean President Moon Jae-in and the three were expected to have a trilateral meeting at Peace House. However, Trump and Kim appeared at a press conference without Moon, raising speculations about the involvement of South Korea in this peculiar engagement. 

Advertisement

READ | US President Donald Trump Is 'extremely Angry' About Jamal Khashoggi, But Says, "nobody Has Directly Pointed Finger At" Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman

Trump said the meeting was “very historic” and criticised those who questioned the two summits with the North Korean leader, back in February 2019 and June last year. 

Advertisement

The President of US furthermore stated that he and the North Korean Supreme Leader 'liked each other' since the day they met. 

He said, “A lot of really positive things are happening. Tremendously positive. We met and we liked each other from day one, and that was very important.”

Advertisement

Regarding the negotiations with North Korea, Trump said that he 'got along' very well with Kim Jong-un and that if it was not for him, then both North and South Korea would have been at loggerheads with each other.

 

Trump has also offered to invite Kim Jong-un to the White House following the meet between the two. 

READ | Seoul Food For US President Donald Trump As His South Korean Counterpart Moon Jae-in Serves Up US Steak

13:27 IST, June 30th 2019