North Korean Official Jets Into New York To Arrange Trump-Kim Summit

Donald Trump has confirmed that a top North Korean official is set to fly to New York in a bid to arrange his on-off summit with Kim Jong Un.

The US president confirmed via Twitter that Kim Yong Chol would make the trip after South Korean media reported that his name was among the list of passengers on a flight from Beijing on Wednesday.

“We have put a great team together for our talks with North Korea,” said Mr Trump.

“Meetings are currently taking place concerning summit, and more. Kim Young Chol, the vice-chairman of North Korea, heading now to New York. Solid response to my letter, thank you!”

Mr Trump withdrew from the planned summit in a letter last week, but quickly announced it could get back on track.

He said on Saturday the US was still considering the 12 June date for the summit in Singapore.

Former military intelligence chief Mr Kim, who is now the vice-chairman of his leader’s regime, will become the most senior Pyongyang official to travel to the US since 2000.

It remains to be seen who Mr Kim will meet when he arrives, having greeted US secretary of state Mike Pompeo when he arrived in North Korea earlier this month.

News of his impending trip to New York came after US officials – led by the US ambassador to Manila, Sung Kim – arrived in North Korea and met their counterparts at the border village of Panmunjom on Sunday.