Donald Trump expects another meeting with Kim Jong-un ‘early next year’
- The president’s remarks came on the same day a scheduled meeting between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his North Korean counterpart were postponed
- Speculation that the delay may be the result of both sides wanting to avoid a failed negotiating effort
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he expected to meet again with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un “sometime early next year”.
Trump also said a meeting this week between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his North Korean counterpart, Kim Yong-chol, would be rescheduled. The meeting, which was supposed to have taken place on Thursday in New York, was intended to help pave the way for a second summit between Trump and Kim to discuss the denuclearisation of North Korea.
The US State Department said in a statement early on Wednesday that the meeting had been postponed, without stating a reason, raising concerns that talks could break down again.
The statement said the meeting would be rescheduled “when our respective schedules permit”.
“Ongoing conversations continue to take place,” the statement said. “The United States remains focused on fulfilling the commitments agreed to by President Trump and Chairman Kim at the Singapore Summit in June.”
