2 p.m. vs 1 minute: Kim, Trump set respective deadlines for summit By Kim Jae-kyoungSINGAPORE ― The United States and North Korea have been engaged in a last-minute tit-for-tat to gain a better position ahead of the June 12 summit here.Reuters reported Sunday night that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un plans to depart from Singapore at 2 p.m., only five hours after the designated start time of the summit ― 9 a.m. at the Capella Hotel.The news agency indicated that the source was from North Korea. It has previously correctly reported Kim's departure and arrival on Sunday. That report was followed by U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks that Kim has a “one-time chance” to do something great for his people. Trump made that remark just before departing for Singapore. Trump also said that he would know whether Kim was serious or not within a minute of meeting him. “I am not going to waste my time,” he said. “I am not going to waste his time.” The two leaders are staying 570 meters away from each other ― Trump at Shangri-La and Kim at St. Regis. Officials of the two countries were trying to work out differences on the eJun 11, 2018By Kim Jae-kyoung
TAKE A LOOK: A quick catch-up of Kim-Trump summit U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are set to sit down together on Tuesday in Singapore for an historic summit. It will be the first face-to-face meeting between leaders of the two countries, which have been hostile to each other for more than six decades. What is the agenda and how things have unfolded?The Korea Times has selected stories for a quick catch up. LATEST NEWS- Kim, Trump to discuss issues 'required by changed era': KCNAhttp://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2018/06/103_250438.html- Kim, Trump arrive in Singapore for summithttp://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2018/06/103_250426.html- China offers flight for Kim Jong-unhttp://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2018/06/103_250423.html- North Korean leader anxious about military couphttp://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2018/06/103_250394.html- Trump says he could invite Kim to US if summit goes wellhttp://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2018/06/103_250326.html- NK, US leaders may have multiple summitshttp://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2018/06/103_250158.htmlANALYSIS- Trump or Kim: who is moJun 11, 2018
Kim, Trump to discuss issues 'required by changed era' : KCNA North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump will discuss issues of denuclearization, permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula and other matters "required by the changed era," when they meet this week, the North's state media said Monday.Kim and Trump arrived in Singapore on Sunday for what will be the first-ever summit between incumbent leaders of the long-time foes set for Tuesday."Wide-ranging and profound views on the issue of establishing new DPRK-U.S. relations, the issue of building a permanent and durable peace-keeping mechanism on the Korean Peninsula, the issue of realizing the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and other issues of mutual concern, as required by the changed era, will be exchanged at the DPRK-U.S. summit talks," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported in English. DPRK stands for the North's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.The KCNA noted that the summit meeting is the first in history between the two countries and will be held "under the great attention and expectation of the whole world."The KCNA said thaJun 11, 2018
Kim, Trump arrive in Singapore for summit U.S. President Donald Trump waves upon his arrival in Singapore as he is met by Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan after Air Force One arrived at Paya Lebar Air Base, Sunday. ahead of a planned summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, June 12. / AFP-YonhapNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un is greeted by Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan upon arrival at Changyi Airport, Sunday, for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump for June 12. / Captured image from Singaporean foreign minister's FacebookLeaders ready for historic summit on denuclearizationBy Kim Jae-kyoung, Yi Whan-wooSINGAPORE -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Singapore, Sunday, for their historic summit in the city-state scheduled for June 12. Kim arrived at Changi Airport at 3:36 p.m. (KST), embarking on his first overseas trip other than China after taking power in December 2011.Trump landed in Singapore about six hours later after leaving the G7 summit in Canada early.Kim flew in on an Air China Boeing 747, a charted fligJun 10, 2018By Kim Jae-kyoung
Smuggling on N. Korea-China border 'thriving after Kim-Xi meetings' By Yi Whan-wooSmuggling on the North Korea-China border is thriving because border controls have eased following the summits between the countries' leaders in March and May, according to sources familiar with Pyongyang.The sources said last week smugglers near the Yalu River had been trading goods banned under U.N. Security Council (UNSC) sanctions and that authorities were turning a blind eye.“Smuggling is thriving and this is keeping the border very busy,” a source said. “Many smugglers and firms whose job is to earn foreign currency are now focusing on providing products that their Chinese business partners want,” a Radio Free Asia source said.Another source said Chinese police and border guards “have definitely eased the crackdown since May” after smuggling had almost been stopped.A third source said North Korean workers from trading companies and firms generating foreign currency were transporting banned products by ship and handing the products to their Chinese partners on the outskirts of China's Donggang and Dandong cities.The sources said Jun 10, 2018
N. Korea's nominal head of state to attend Russia World Cup By Yi Whan-wooKim Yong-namKim Yong-nam, North Korea’s nominal head of state, will join the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Russia this week, according to Pyongyang’s state-controlled Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).“Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly, will soon visit the Russian Federation to attend an opening ceremony of the 2018 FIFA World Cup,” the KCNA said on June 9.Kim’s planned visit to Russia will come after Ivan Melnikov, a deputy speaker of the Russian lower house of parliament, said he was looking forward to meeting Kim while meeting the North Korean delegation on the sidelines of the Development of Parliamentarism forum in Moscow.“We know the visit has been planned, and I am sure it will happen,” he said.The World Cup will begin on June 14 and run through July 15 in 11 Russian cities, including Moscow, Sochi and St. Petersburg.North Korea is not among the 32 qualifiers but Kim will attend the opening ceremony on June 14 in a bid to maintain its friendship with Russia, according tJun 10, 2018
US novels, movies become popular in N. Korea as summit nears By Yi Whan-wooNorth Koreans are showing growing interest in American novels and films ahead of the historic summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore on June 12, according to sources familiar with Pyongyang.U.S. novels and movies are officially banned and special units of the North Korean police crack down on their possession and sale.But demand has increased in public markets after Pyongyang announced the Kim-Trump summit, a source said.“With people now becoming more interested in the U.S., more people are looking for U.S. novels and movies,” the source said told Radio Free Asia recently. “Booksellers in markets are asking college students to bring them U.S. novels or movies on USB memory cards. College students also translate lines from the movies and put in subtitles.”The source said the most popular novel was the American classic “Gone with the Wind.”“The background to the story is somewhat similar to our own country's history and situation, and the life of the lead female character, ScarlJun 10, 2018
North Korean leader anxious about military coup Choe Ryong-hae, second from left, presumably North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's right-hand man, inspects the Poman Co-op Farm in Sohung County, Hwanghae Province, with other officials on June 5. / Rodong SinmunKim Jong-un to leave regime in hands of his right-hand man during absenceBy Yi Whan-wooChoe Ryong-hae, who is believed to be North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's right-hand man, is expected to stay in Pyongyang during Kim's summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore on June 12, according to sources familiar with Pyongyang.They speculated last week that Choe, vice chairman of the North's ruling Workers' Party, would be in charge of the repressive state until Kim returns home from Singapore.“Choe is the most likely figure to control North Korea in the absence of Kim,” a source said, pointing out that Choe hold several key titles.He is also director of the Organization Guidance Department and a member of the Central Military Commission, the Political Bureau Presidium and the Central Committee.Kim Jong-un is expected to stay in Singapore for at least a couple of dJun 10, 2018
China offers flight for Kim Jong-un By Lee Min-hyungAir China's Boeing 747-4J6China has offered a flight for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who arrived in Singapore Sunday for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a flight route tracker.Flightradar24 shows that an Air China plane arrived in Pyongyang at 6:20 a.m. on Sunday before leaving for Beijing two hours later.But the Boeing 747-4J6 suddenly changed its flight designation from CA122 to CA61 and its route to Singapore's Changi Airport.Kim's private Chammae-1 aircraft is a remodeled version of a Soviet-made IL-62 jet, production of which started in the 1960s and stopped in 1995. For safety reasons, it was expected that the young leader might take another aircraft possibly provided by China or Singapore.Other planes from North Korea carried delegates and cargo.Given that the Boeing 747-4J6 in question is used mainly as a private jet for China's highest-ranking officials such as President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, reports say it is likely that the Chinese government offered the plane for Kim's Singapore visit.Singapore's Ministry of ForeigJun 10, 2018
D-2: Kim Jong-un arrives in Singapore A North Korean jet believed to be carrying leader Kim Jong-un lands landing at Singapore's Changi international airport on Sunday afternoon. / Captured from The Straight Times' websiteAnother plane believed to be carrying North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un approaches to land in Singapore June 10, 2018. / ReutersBy Park Si-sooNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrived in Singapore Sunday, two days ahead of his planned historic summit with U.S. President Donald Trump over the reclusive state's denuclearization.A Boeing 747 Air China flight that carried Kim landed at Changi Airport at 2:36 p.m. (Singapore time) or 3:36 p.m. (Korea time) amid tight security.He was greeted by Singapore's foreign minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, who posted a picture on Twitter of him shaking hands with Kim and the message: "Welcomed Chairman Kim Jong Un, who has just arrived in Singapore."The plane is one of three Singapore-bound aircraft that left Pyongyang at different times on Sunday morning.A convoy of vehicles that included a stretch Mercedes Benz limousine, identical to vehicles the North's leader had previJun 10, 2018
