Trump received Kim Jong Un letter seeking 2nd meet – White House

U.S. President Donald Trump, right, reaches to shakes hands with North Korea leader Kim Jong Un at the Capella resort on Sentosa Island in Singapore during their first meeting on June 12, 2018. AP FILE

WASHINGTON, United States – US President Donald Trump has received a “very positive” letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un seeking a follow-up meeting after their historic summit in Singapore, the White House said Monday.

“It was a very warm, very positive letter,” White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said, adding that the message showed Pyongyang’s “continued commitment to focus on denuclearization” on the Korean Peninsula.

“The primary purpose of the letter was to schedule another meeting with the president, which we are open to and are already in the process of coordinating,” she said at the first White House press briefing in nearly three weeks.

Sanders added that the letter was “further evidence of progress” in Washington’s relationship with Pyongyang.

Trump and Kim held a historic summit in Singapore in June that raised prospects of a breakthrough on curtailing North Korea’s nuclear program.

Despite follow-on negotiations on denuclearizing the peninsula hitting a snag leading to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo canceling a planned trip to the North late last month, the new letter showed signs that the discussions remain alive after weeks of apparent deadlock.

“We think it’s important and we’re glad that we’re making progress,” Sanders said, adding that Trump deserves the “credit” for bringing the two parties to the table.

“At the end of the day, ultimately, it’s always going to be best when you can have the two leaders sit down,” she added.

The White House has pointed to a series of accomplishments in recent months, including a release of US hostages, the repatriation of war remains believed to be of US service members and a pause in North Korea’s missile and nuclear tests, to suggest progress between the foes.

And on Sunday, North Korea refrained from displaying its intercontinental missiles — long a bone of contention in its nuclear tensions with Washington — in a massive parade through Pyongyang celebrating the country’s 70th birthday.

‘Still waiting’

The latest parade “for once was not about their nuclear arsenal,” Sanders said.

Trump thanked Kim for the gesture, saying on Twitter: “This is a big and very positive statement from North Korea.”

Sanders was asked whether the next Trump-Kim meeting would take place in Washington, but she demurred, saying, “we’ll let you know when we have further details.”

The letter’s arrival was confirmed as Trump’s top security advisor said the White House was looking to North Korea for next steps.

“We’re still waiting for them. The possibility of another meeting between the two presidents obviously exists,” said National Security Advisor John Bolton.

“But President Trump can’t make the North Koreans walk through the door he’s holding open. They are the ones that have to take the steps to denuclearize. And that’s what we are waiting for.”

Bolton said in a speech to the Federalist Society that during the Singapore meeting with Trump in June, Kim committed to getting rid of his nuclear weapons, and later agreed with South Korean President Moon Jae-in that it could be done in one year.

After his speech, Bolton told reporters “it’s entirely possible” for the two leaders to meet by year’s end. /cbb