On 12 June 2018, a historic meeting between United States President Donald Trump and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) leader Kim Jong Un took place in Singapore.[1]
On 8 March 2018, Chairman Kim issued an invitation to President Trump to hold talks to ease military tensions and discuss denuclearisation.[2] Singapore was first approached by the U.S., and then North Korea, to host the historic summit as both had confidence in Singapore’s ability to ensure the security of the event as well as be a neutral moderator.[3]
On 10 May 2018, Trump announced that the U.S.-North Korea summit would be held in Singapore on 12 June 2018.[4]
On 24 May 2018, Trump announced the cancellation of the 12 June summit, following “open hostility” in a recent statement made by the North Korean government.[5] Two days later, Trump agreed to reinstate the summit after Kim arranged for an impromptu meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae In on 26 May 2018 in an attempt to revive the summit. [6]
The summit involved preparations by inter-ministerial agencies in Singapore – including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Communications and Information, and Ministry of Transport – totalling an estimated 7,400 public officers.[7]
The hotel Capella Singapore on Sentosa was earmarked as the summit venue.[8]
On 10 June 2018, Kim arrived at Changi Airport on an Air China Boeing 747 at 2.35 pm, where he was welcomed by Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.[9] At 8.20 pm that same day, Air Force One, the official airplane of the president of the United States, landed at Paya Lebar Air Force Base. The American delegation were also received by Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.[10]
The U.S.-North Korea summit took place on 12 June 2018 in the library of Capella Singapore. The meeting, with only their translators present, lasted 45 minutes.[11] This was followed by a bilateral meeting held at Capella’s Cassia restaurant.[12]
A joint two-page declaration was subsequently signed between Trump and Kim in which the U.S. “committed to provide security guarantees” to North Korea and Kim “affirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula”. The two leaders also committed “to establish new U.S.-DPRK relations” and agreed to “join their efforts to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula”.[13]
As part of the agreement, Kim also agreed to return the remains of 6,000 American prisoners-of-war or soldiers who had gone missing during the Korean war. Kim also agreed to destroy a major missile engine testing site in North Korea. Trump agreed to halt longstanding joint military exercises with South Korea for the duration of the on-going U.S.-North Korea denuclearisation negotiations.[14]
The estimated bill for the summit was $16.3 million, with the bulk of expenses going towards security.[15]
References
1. Toh, E. (2018, June 3). Trump-Kim summit in Singapore: Intricacies of hosting a high-level event. The Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
2. Chang, M. C. (2018, March 7). North Korea willing to denuclearise and resume talks with US. The Straits Times; Ghosh, N. (2018, March 10). Trump hails progress as he accepts Kim’s offer of talks. The Straits Times; Chang, M. C. (2018, March 14). Why it matters; North Korea talks a step forward. The Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
3. Toh, The Straits Times, 3 Jun 2018; Ghosh, N. (2018, June 6). Trump-Kim summit shows Singapore enjoys the trust of US, North Korea as a neutral host: Vivian Balakrishnan. The Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
4. Trump-Kim summit in Singapore a significant step on the path to peace: PM. (2018, May 12). The Business Times. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
5. Ghosh, N. & Goh, S. N. (2018, May 24). Trump cancels Singapore summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, citing ‘open hostility’. The Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
6. Tham, Y., Seow, B. Y. & Ng, J. S. (2018, June 17). Trump-Kim summit: The making of a last-minute meeting in Singapore. The Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
7. Toh, The Straits Times, 3 Jun 2018; Tham, Seow & Ng, The Straits Times, 17 Jun 2018.
8. Tan, T. M. (2018, June 6). Trump-Kim Singapore Summit; Sentosa Island declared ‘special event area’ as well. The Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
9. Nur Asyiqin, M. S. (2018, June 10). North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong ahead: North of Trump-Kim summit. The Straits Times; Kaur, K. & Seow, B. Y. (2019, June 10). Trump-Kim summit: North Korea leader Kim Jong Un arrives in Singapore. The Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
10. Lee, S. H. (2018, June 11). Notes from an island: White House press corps covering Trump-Kim summit sketches 'spotless' Singapore. The Straits Times; Au Yong, J. (2018, June 10). Trump-Kim summit: Trumps Air Force One lands at Paya Lebar Airbase. The Straits Times; Tan, D. W. (2018, June 11). Trump meets PM Lee at Istana ahead of Trump-Kim summit. The Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
11. Au Yong, J. & Tan, D. W. (2018, June 12). Trump-Kim Singapore summit: Two leaders share historic handshake. The Straits Times; Tan, D. W., & Lim, K. (2018, June 12). Trump-Kim summit: An up-close look from inside Capella. The Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
12. Au Yong & Tan, The Straits Times,12 Jun 2018; Tan & Lim, The Straits Times, 12 Jun 2018.
13. Tan & Lim, 12 Jun 2018, The Straits Times; Ng, H. (2018, June 12). Handshakes, thumbs-up, a courtyard stroll and other key moments. The Straits Times; Ghosh, N. (2018, June 12). Singapore summit yielded little substance but is a beginning, say US analysts. The Straits Times; Lee, U. (2018, June 13). Trump-Kim summit; History made but Trump-Kim meet needs more substance to convince. The Business Times. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/.
14. Yong, C. (2018, June 12). Trump-Kim summit shows clear desire of the US and North Korea to end Korean War, say analysts. The Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/; Ghosh, 12 Jun 2018, The Straits Times; Au Yong, J. & Tan, D. W. (2018, June 12). Trump-Kim summit: Kim Jong Un gave unwavering commitment to denuclearisation, says Trump. The Straits Times; Au Yong, J. & Tan, D. W. (2018, June 12). Trump-Kim summit: Leaders sign ‘comprehensive’ document; Kim says world will see major change. The Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
15. Sim, R. (2018, June 11). $20m cost to host summit worth bearing: PM Lee. The Straits Times; Ng, H. (2018, June 24). About $16.3m spent on Trump-Kim summit, down from earlier estimate of $20m: MFA. The Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/; Au Yong & Tan, Trump-Kim Singapore Summit, The Straits Times, 12 Jun 2018.
The information in this article is valid as at 2018 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.