U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he is looking at the Singapore summit with Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), on June 12.
"We're looking at June 12 in Singapore. It hasn't changed," Trump told reporters at the White House, adding that talks over the meeting were progressing well.
"We're doing very well in terms of the summit. It's moving along very nicely," he said.
There is "a lot of goodwill," the White House host said.
Trump canceled the scheduled meeting on Thursday, saying that it will not happen "based on the tremendous anger and open hostility" displayed in the DPRK's most recent statements.
However, he reversed course just one day after the announcement. Both sides wanted the meeting to happen and it could still go ahead after productive talks, he said.
A White House spokeswoman said on Saturday that a White House team will leave as scheduled for Singapore this weekend to prepare for the Trump-Kim talks.
Just hours earlier, the DPRK's official Korean Central News Agency said Kim expressed his "fixed will" to hold the summit when meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in Saturday at the truce village Panmunjom.
During the second meeting within a month on the northern side of the demarcation line of Panmunjom, Kim promised to further push forward the peace process on the Korean Peninsula by working for the goal of denuclearization and improving inter-Korean ties.
Pyongyang suspended the high-level talks with South Korea on May 16 in view of recent provocative acts such as the joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea.
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U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday sent a letter to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s top leader, Kim Jong Un, to cancel their planned meeting in Singapore on June 12.
The letter came on the heels of the escalating exchanges of accusations between the two sides.
In the letter released by the White House, Trump said that although he was very much looking forward to being in Singapore with Kim, it was "inappropriate" at this time to have this meeting "based on the tremendous anger and open hostility" displayed in the DPRK's most recent statements.
"Therefore, please let this letter serve to represent that the Singapore summit, for the good of both parties, but to the detriment of the world, will not take place," Trump said.
However, he added that he still looks very much forward to meeting Kim "some day."
"I felt a wonderful dialogue was building up between you and me, and ultimately, it is only that dialogue that matters," Trump said. "We greatly appreciate your time, patience and effort with respect to our recent negotiations and discussions relative to a summit long sought by both parties."
He also thanked the DPRK for releasing the three U.S. detainees, noting it was "a beautiful gesture and was very much appreciated."
Earlier on Thursday, the DPRK repeated the warning that it would reconsider whether to attend the scheduled meeting with Trump.
Choe Son Hui, the DPRK's vice foreign minister, said she would put forward a suggestion to Kim for reconsidering the DPRK-U.S. summit if the United States continues with hostile remarks and actions, according to the Korean Central News Agency.
The DPRK's strong reaction came after U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said in an interview earlier this week that the country might end like Libya.
Calling his remarks "ignorant and stupid," Choe said that Pence should seriously consider the "terrible consequences of his words" before making such comments.
This is the second time within days for Pyongyang to warn Washington that it might cancel the meeting because of provocative anti-DPRK remarks by top U.S. officials.
DPRK last week expressed anger at words by U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton that United States would use the "Libya model" to denuclearize the country.
Yet on May 22, Trump said the summit "may not work out for June 12" during his meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
"If it does not happen, maybe it will happen later. Maybe it will happen at a different time. We will see," said Trump.
Earlier this month, the DPRK called the "2018 Max Thunder" joint drill between the United States and South Korea a deliberate challenge to the Panmunjom Declaration issued by the two koreas' leaders. It also announced to suspend high-level talks with South Korea infinitely.
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U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday he was "very hopeful" that the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s top leader Kim Jong Un would take place as planed next month in Singapore.
While testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Capitol Hill, Pompeo said in his first congressional appearance since he took this job that whether the meeting, slated on June 12, would take place is "ultimately up to Chairman Kim."
"We have broad outlines of what it is that each nation is prepared to do," he said, noting that he is hopeful that Trump could convince Kim to make a strategic decision to denuclearize.
Noting that "we are driving on," he said that the United States and South Korea are working to keep the Singapore summit on track.
However, Pompeo said that a "bad deal" with the DPRK is "not an option" for the United States.
"If the right deal is not on the table, we will respectfully walk away" from the coming negotiations concerning Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs," he said, adding that the U.S. "posture will not change until we see credible steps taken toward the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."
The U.S. top diplomat also added that Washington is not intended to make concessions to Pyongyang during the Trump-Kim meeting.
Trump on Tuesday said that the planned Singapore summit with Kim "may not work out for June 12," and "if it doesn't happen, maybe it will happen later. Maybe it will happen at a different time. We will see."
As for Iran's nuke program, Pompeo said the Trump administration is ready to work with other nations to solve the problem.
He said he is to meet with allies in June to discuss the next steps to deter Tehran "threat."
"A number of discussions have taken place below the foreign minister level," he noted.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday ordered the expulsion of the U.S. charge d'affaires Todd Robinson and his deputy Brian Naranjo for staging "enough conspiracies" against his government.
Pompeo said the United States will respond reciprocally to the expulsion, hinting to kick out Venezuela's top diplomat in Washington as well.
Speaking of Russia's alleged interference of U.S. elections, Pompeo said that the United States will not tolerate Russia's bid to interfere in 2018 U.S. congressional mid-term elections in November, and will take "appropriate" countermeasures to counter Moscow's attempts.
However, he admitted that Washington has not yet set up "effective deterrence" to stop the Russian alleged meddling.
Trump has refuted so far Russia's interferences in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections, noting U.S. domestic call for further investigation a "witch hunt" staged by the Democrats to cover their lost.
He believed such investigation aims to illegitimate his presidency, according to U.S. media. Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement in the U.S. elections.
