President
Donald Trump speaks during a dinner with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un,
Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019, in Hanoi. Seated on right are acting White House
Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, Secretary of State mike Pompeo and interpreter.
Seated on left are North Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ri Yong Ho and
interpreter. (AP)
President Trump praised his "special
relationship" with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and said "a lot of things will be
solved" during the two leaders' second summit in Vietnam as they prepare
for a full day of formal talks.
Trump and Kim kicked off their second summit on Wednesday by exchanging handshakes
and laughs at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. They briefly spoke to
reporters, where Trump said the biggest progress since the historic Singapore
summit was the two countries' relationship.
"It's really a good one," he added.
“It’s an honor to be with Chairman Kim," Trump said
after exchanging handshakes with Kim. "I thought the first summit was
a great success and I think this one, hopefully, will be equal or greater than
the first."
The president told Kim that he believes North Korea
"has tremendous economic potential, unbelievable, unlimited."
"I look forward to watching it happen and to helping
it to happen and we will help it to happen," he added.
Trump
and Kim exchanged handshakes and laughs at the Sofitel Legend Metropole
Hanoi on Wednesday and briefly spoke to reporters before their scheduled
20-minute meeting. (AFP/Getty)
TRUMP, KIM JONG UN'S VIETNAM SUMMIT JOINS LONG LIST OF KEY
MOMENTS BETWEEN WORLD LEADERS: A TIMELINE
When asked if he would formally declare an end to the
Korean War, Trump simply said, "We will see."
Kim also echoed Trump's sentiment.
"Those 261 days [since we met in Singapore] were the
days during which a lot of painstaking efforts were necessary and a lot of
patience was needed. As I see you here today…that gives us a hope that we will
be successful this time…" Kim said, according to his personal
translator, to which Trump replied, "That’s nice, that’s really
nice, thank you."
The
president told Kim that he believes North Korea "has tremendous economic
potential, unbelievable, unlimited." (AP)
Trump and Kim met briefly before attending a "social
dinner" where Trump teased a "very busy day" Thursday that
hopefully "a lot things are going to be resolved."
"I hope and I think it'll lead to wonderful it'll
lead to really a wonderful situation long term. And our relationship is a very
special relationship," Trump said.
Trump and Kim arrived in Hanoi Tuesday just hours apart
for their second summit — eight months after the leaders made history for their
first meeting in Singapore. Prior to Wednesday evening's meeting, the president
said he "will try very hard to work something out on
Denuclearization." He also mentioned making North Korea an "Economic
Powerhouse," but did not elaborate on what the U.S. plans to do to help
the country.
KIM JONG UN'S AIDE FRANTICALLY DASHES TO NORTH KOREAN LEADER'S
SIDE AFTER ARRIVING IN VEITNAM FOR SECOND SUMMIT
The second summit comes amid a stalemate on
denuclearization talks between North Korea and the U.S. Trump has signaled
some flexibility on his previous demands that North Korea denuclearize before
it sees some relief from crushing U.S. and international sanctions.
North Korea, however, has ramped up its rhetoric in
recent months and said it will never give up its nuclear weapons unless the
U.S. removed its nuclear threat first and lift sanctions cripplings its
economy.
People
gather near the area where U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader
Kim Jong Un will meet for dinner in Hanoi, Vietnam, Wednesday. (AP)
Several other topics are expected to come up during the
two-day summit, including bringing back the rest of the remains of U.S.
soldiers killed in the Korean War. North Korea turned over 55 boxes
of presumed remains of U.S. soldiers killed in the Korean War as part of
the agreement from the June summit.
There’s also growing speculation that Trump may offer an
announcement of peace and a formal end to the Korean War if he can convince Kim
to commit to denuclearization. The Korean War ended in 1953 with an armistice,
essentially a cease-fire signed by North Korea, China and the 17-nation,
U.S.-led United Nations Command that was supposed to be replaced by a formal
peace treaty. But both sides instead settled ever deeper into Cold War
hostilities marked by occasional outbreaks of violence.
President
Donald Trump meets with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the
Office of Government Hall. (AP)
Trump has already met with Vietnamese President Nguyen Phu Trong for the signing
of several commercial trade deals affecting the airline industries of
their two countries.
Anticipation for what will be accomplished at the summit
ran high in Hanoi. But the carnival-like atmosphere in the Vietnamese capital,
with street artists painting likenesses of the leaders and vendors hawking
T-shirts showing Kim waving and Trump giving a thumbs-up, contrasted with the
serious items on their agenda.
The Associated Press contributed to this
report.
Katherine
Lam is a breaking and trending news digital producer for Fox News. Follow her
on Twitter at @bykatherinelam
