And our final post, from Justin McCurry, on what this outcome means for South Korea:
Some sections of the South Korean media reacted with alarm. Yonhap news agency said the failed summit had set the security clock on the Korean peninsula “back to zero”, adding that efforts to defuse the nuclear standoff with Pyongyang was now “at a crossroads.” Financial News, meanwhile, wondered if the two sides would struggle to maintain the momentum for dialogue.
The outcome could prove a setback for South Korea’s president, Moon Jae-in, whose plans for greater inter-Korean engagement depend on a breakthrough on Pyongyang’s nuclear programme.
Media reports said Moon, who has been instrumental in bringing Kim into the global diplomatic fold, was planning to unveil new plans for greater engagement with the North at a ceremony on Friday to mark the centenary of a Korean uprising during Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule of the peninsula.
His enthusiasm for stronger economic ties with the North has been tempered by measures to rein in Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions, as any significant investment in the North by Seoul could fall foul of international sanctions.
Moon’s proposals are expected to underline South Korea’s desire for the two Koreas to take the lead in deciding the long-term future of a potentially denuclearised peninsula, South Korean media said. “We are no longer in the periphery of history. I hope we will open a new era with pride and confidence that the strength to decide and open the next 100 years rests in us,” he told a cabinet meeting this week, according to Yonhap.
It speculated that Moon, who has met Kim thee times in less than a year, would make the case for greater economic cooperation and easier cross-border access for goods and people.
That’s all from us today.
Updated
With the summit coming to a dramatic but also lacklustre end - and with both Trump and Kim Jong-un headed now home with little to show for their meetings - we are going to close the liveblog. Thanks for following along today, it’s been a wild ride.
For a full summary of the events today, here is Julian Borger’s final news report from Hanoi:
Hanoi summit comes to an unsuccessful close
- President Donald Trump has flown back to the US after the summit talks between him and North Korean leader Chairman Kim Jong-un fell apart on Thursday morning and the pair failed to reach a deal on nuclear disarmament
- The major disagreement was over the lifting of sanctions. Kim is willing to dismantle the Yongbyon nuclear facility, says Trump, but wanted all sanctions lifted first, which Trump said he wasn’t willing to do.
- Trump’s main phrase to sum up the conference was: “Sometimes you have to walk.”
- However, Trump insisted that he and Kim walked away from the negotiating table in a “friendly” spirit and that while there were no future summits planned, negotiations would continue between the US and North Korean teams and he hoped he and Kim would meet again. “It might be soon. It might not be for a long time.”
- Trump revealed that he had raised the subject of Otto Warmbier, the US student who was captured in North Korea and suffered fatal injuries, with Kim but was convinced by the North Korean leader’s assertion that “he tells me he didn’t know about it and I take him at his word.”
- The no-deal outcome of the summit is particularly bad news for South Korean President Moon Jae-in, for it means that further meaningful engagement between North and South Korea- especially economic engagement- is now off the table
- Kim Jong-un is due to get the train back to North Korea tomorrow, stopping off along the way for a meeting with President of China Xi Jinping
Updated
Here’s our China correspondent Lily Kuo on what the lacklustre outcome of the summit means for China
The lack of a deal sets up China to play a larger role in a process that some believed Beijing was at risk of being sidelined. Mintaro Oba, a former diplomat focused on the Koreas said China has an opportunity to step in and set the tone.
“China can make an impact by showing continued public support for North Korea -- or alternately, putting pressure on North Korea to be more flexible if Beijing thinks North Korea was the primary reason the summit ended with no agreement,” Oba said. “China will not want to see this diplomatic process fall apart.”
At a regular press briefing after the summit was cut short, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said a resolution on the Korean peninsula could not be “achieved overnight”. Lu said China was willing to “continue to play a constructive role” and hoped dialogue between the US and China would continue.
South Korea’s Presidential office have released a statement expressing disappointment at the failed Hanoi summit
“We do feel regret that President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong-un could not reach complete agreement at today’s summit,” said a spokesperson.
“But it also appears that they have clearly made more meaningful progress than at any time in the past.”
According to a South Korean diplomat who spoke to Julian Borger: “It was a shock. We are trying to figure out what happened.”
Some experts pointing out that if the lifting of sanctions was always going to make or break the deal on the North Korea side, should this not have been known by the US before calling a second, very public, summit
Trump and Pompeo being quite specific. Says Kim was ready to give up the whole Yongbyon nuclear complex in return for complete lifting of sanctions but not other parts of the nuclear programme, including covert elements, including at least one uranium enrichment plant.
— Julian Borger (@julianborger) February 28, 2019
Well, if that was the offer, then yes, you have to walk. (But shouldn't we have known that this was the offer before organizing a second presidential summit?) https://t.co/Ql40WEfR90
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) February 28, 2019
One critical qu from the Hanoi no deal - why didn’t negotiators see this coming? Traditionally leaders only meet when most details in a deal are agreed, signing off the last few bits. Raises big questions about the whole US approach.
— Ben Riley-Smith (@benrileysmith) February 28, 2019
Updated
Vietnam summit: US president blames disagreement over sanctions for no deal
Donald Trump has said that a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un broke down over the issue of sanctions, after the talks in Vietnam ended early with no deal.
“It was about the sanctions basically,” Trump said at a press conference in Hanoi. “They wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety and we couldn’t do that ... Sometimes you have to walk, and this was just one of those times.”
The US president said that Kim had offered to dismantle some parts of his nuclear infrastructure, including the Yongbyon nuclear complex, but was not prepared to destroy other parts of the programme, including covert uranium plants.
“There is a gap. We have to have sanctions,” Trump said. “They were willing to denuke a large portion of the areas we wanted but we couldn’t give up all the sanctions for that.”
Trump said there was no plan for a third summit but made clear that the current status quo would continue, with North Korea continuing to suspend nuclear and missile tests, while the US would not take part in joint military exercises with South Korea, which the US president said he was opposed to anyway.
“I gave that up quite a while ago because it costs us $100 million to do it. I hated to see it. I thought it was unfair,” Trump said, saying South Korea should shoulder more of the costs. “Exercising is fun and it’s nice they play their war games. I’m not saying its not necessary. On some levels it is. On other levels it’s not.”
Although he said another summit with Kim might not happen “for a long time”, Trump remained defensive of the North Korean leader and the relationship between the two men.
“We spent all day with Kim Jong-un,” Trump said. “He’s quite a guy and quite a character. And our relationship is very strong.”
Kim Jong-un meanwhile faces a 60-hour train ride back home, crossing over 2,000 miles, with a reported stop in Beijing along the way to meet with President Xi Jinping. While it is unlikely we will ever know the contents of their discussion, Trump’s comments in his press conference confirm that China is taking a very active role in the denuclearisation negotiations
Well Trump is not hanging around. He is already on board Air Force One which is about to leave the tarmac in Hanoi
As many analysts are pointing out, one of the biggest losers in this scenario is South Korean President Moon Jae-in who now can not progress his relationship with North Korea in any substantial way, and means economic engagement between the two countries is off the table for now
Here is what the regional experts are saying about the failure to reach a deal:
As predicted, the Americans are not prepared to end the war and the North Koreans are not prepared to surrender. A yawning chasm between the expectations and bitter reality.
— Leonid Petrov (@leonidpetrov) February 28, 2019
It's probably fair to say no signing whatsoever is not what most observers of any perspective were expecting from the Trump-Kim summit. I think we'll need to hear more details over the coming days/weeks to judge what this really represents. Giving it a C- pending more info.
— Mintaro Oba (@MintaroOba) February 28, 2019
While the narrative that "no deal is better than a bad deal" is emerging, it's hard to see how to keep up momentum for the negotiations is maintained in the post-Summit environment.
— Jenny Town (@j3nnyt0wn) February 28, 2019
Unpopular take maybe: no deal is better than a bad deal or a deal that one side may violate, which sets up the prospect for conflict. Sometimes you throw the ball away and live to play another down. https://t.co/1XxfbG9Brw
— Vipin Narang (@NarangVipin) February 28, 2019
The purpose of the summit lies elsewhere: in its theater, in its ability to seize the newscycle. Maybe Trump really did think the economic inducement approach would work.
— Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) February 28, 2019
The learning that occurred could have happened without; just read what the North Koreans say in public.
That is it from me for the day, I’m going to hand over the blog to my colleague Hannah Ellis-Petersen.
Thanks so much for following along over this fairly dramatic day. It’s been a little bit crazy, quite unexpected, and we still never learnt what was on the menu for that working lunch.
Keep reading along.
Summary
-
Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un met in Hanoi for their second summit, following a first meeting in Singapore last June.
-
The summit was cut short, with a working lunch between the two leaders abruptly cancelled, the signing of a joint agreement called off and a press conference held by Trump moved up by several hours.
- At the press conference, Trump said the two parties walked away over a disagreement on the lifting of sanctions against North Korea. “Basically they wanted sanctions lifted in their entirety and we weren’t willing to do that,” said Trump.
-
Kim is willing to dismantle the Yongbyon facility, says Trump, but wanted all sanctions lifted first, which Trump said he wasn’t willing to do.
-
Trump insisted he and Kim walked away from the negotiating table in a “friendly” spirit, simply because they could not agree on certain points and that while there were no future summits planned, he hoped he and Kim would meet again. “It might be soon. It might not be for a long time.”
- Asked about the testimony of his former lawyer Michael Cohen before a House committee on Wednesday, Trump said “he lied a lot”. Trump questioned the timing of the committee hearing, saying “having it in the middle of this very important summit is really a very terrible thing.”
- Trump was also asked whether he had raised with Kim the death of Otto Warmbier, a US college student who died after being imprisoned in North Korea. Trump said he had raised Warmbier’s case with Kim but said: “I don’t believe that [Kim] would have allowed that to happen... He tells me he didn’t know about it and I take him at his word.”
Donald Trump has wrapped up the press conference at the Marriott hotel in Hanoi. Trump will now fly back to Washington.
“I don’t want to talk about increasing sanctions,” says Trump. He says for the sake of the people living in North Korea, he doesn’t want to talk about that.
Trump is passing the buck to other administrations for the lack of a deal between the US and North Korea.
“It should have been done by many presidents before me. I’m not just blaming the Obama administration,” he says, before blaming the Obama administration for a long time. “But I’m not blaming the Obama administration, I’m blaming many administrations.”
Trump has been asked when he might meet with Kim again.
“It might be soon, it might not be for a long time. I hope it will be soon, but it might not be for a long time,” he says.
Trump is answering a question from a reporter from an Israeli media organisation. He calls peace between Israel and Palestine the most difficult deal in the world. “I’d love to deliver that deal,” he says.
“We have a good shot at peace between Israel and Palestine,” he said.
Kim Jong-un did not know about Otto Warmbier's death, says Trump
Trump is being asked about Otto Warmbier, and whether he has confronted Kim Jong-un about the death of the US student.
He says “I really believe something very bad happened to him and I don’t believe the top leadership knew about it. And when he came back (and by the way I got the hostages back) ... Otto came back in a terrible state.
“I don’t believe that [Kim] would have allowed that to happen,” says Trump.
“Those prisons are rough. They’re rough places and bad things happen but I don’t believe he knew about it.”
The reporter is pushing Trump on whether he actually asked Kim about Warmbier’s death.
“He felt very badly about it, I did speak to him, he knew about it, but he knew about it after... Big country, a lot of people in those prisons and the camps there are some bad people... He tells me he didn’t know about it and I take him at his word.”
Trump on Kim's responsibility for Otto Warmbier's death.
— Julian Borger (@julianborger) February 28, 2019
"He says he didn't know about it and I will take him at his word."
Updated
No further summits planned
Trump says he and Kim did not commit to holding another summit before discussions ended today.
Updated
Trump says he’ll be calling President Moon from South Korea once he’s on the plane.
“He’d love to do a deal and he’s been very helpful,” says Trump.
Trump says he will also be calling Shinzo Abe of Japan.
Trump is now praising Xi Jinping, saying he’s a “great leader” and has been “very helpful” with issues at the border. “Could he be more helpful? Probably,” says Trump.
In case you missed it, here is video of Trump’s response to the question asked of him about Michael Cohen’s testimony to the House committee on Wednesday.
Reporter: “He called you liar, con man, a racist. What’s your response to Michael Cohen?” #HanoiSummit #TicTocTrumpKim pic.twitter.com/8Orqno9Cnk
— TicToc by Bloomberg (@tictoc) February 28, 2019
Trump has been singing the praises of the US’s achievements. He’s now talking about the trade relationship with China. Things have got a bit rambling.
Trump and Pompeo being quite specific. Says Kim was ready to give up the whole Yongbyon nuclear complex in return for complete lifting of sanctions but not other parts of the nuclear programme, including covert elements, including at least one uranium enrichment plant.
— Julian Borger (@julianborger) February 28, 2019
Trump says Kim promised him “the testing would not start, the testing of rockets and missiles and anything to do with nuclear and we’ll see”.
Trump is praising China for helping with discussions, saying they have had a bigger impact than most people realise, but he says Kim is a “strong guy” and doesn’t take orders from anyone.
Trump says he is very keen to lift sanctions on North Korea because he believes in the potential of North Korea.
Trump says that Kim is willing to dismantle the Yongbyon facility, but wanted all sanctions lifted first, which Trump said he wasn’t willing to do.
Pompeo is speaking now and says even if the Yongbyon facility was dismantled there are other facilities and other weapons that would still be there, which they couldn’t get an agreement on with Kim.
Trump is asked by a South Korean reporter what specifically he and Kim discussed in regards to denuclearisation.
Trump says “it’s a word people talk about a lot... A lot of people don’t know what it means, but to me it’s obvious: you have to be willing to get rid of the nukes.”
Trump then goes on to speak about the potential of North Korea. His real estate background may be showing here as he talks of North Korea’s amazing location and potential.
Updated
Trump is asked whether he thinks it was premature to hold the summit.
“You always have to be prepared to walk. I could’ve signed something today,” says Trump. “But it’s better to do it right than do it fast.”
Updated
Trump says the tone of the discussion with Kim was “friendly” and people did not leave angry.
“We just like each other, we have a good relationship,” he reiterates.
Trump says Cohen 'lied a lot'
Donald Trump has been asked about the claims of his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who testified before a House committee on Wednesday.
“It’s incorrect,” says Trump. Trump said he “tried to watch as much as I could” but that he was “quite busy” so couldn’t watch all of it.
Trump called Cohen’s testimony a “fake hearing” and questioned the timing of the committee hearing, saying “having it in the middle of this very important summit is really a very terrible thing.”
“He lied a lot,” said Trump. “He didn’t lie about one thing, he said no collusion with the Russian hoax, and he could have lied about that.”
Trump is asked if it was his decision to end the talks or Kim’s.
“I don’t want to say it was my decision, because what purpose is that. But we’ll keep the relationship,” says Trump.
Trump is now going over his past achievements, talking about the return of US hostages, and Kim’s promise to Trump not to do any more nuclear testing.
“I trust him and I take him at his word,” says Trump.
Trump is taking a question from Sean Hannity.
Hannity says: How can you bridge the gap between the US and North Korean ideas about denuclearisation?
Trump says it will take time. But “we know every inch of that country”.
Trump is being asked if he got a sense of what Chairman Kim’s vision of what denuclearisation is.
“He has a certain vision, it’s not exactly our vision, but it’s a lot closer than it was a year ago,” says Trump.
US walked away from discussions over disagreement on sanctions
Trump says “it was about the sanctions. Basically they wanted sanctions lifted in their entirety and we weren’t willing to do that.”
Trump says “we had to walk away from that particular issue”.
Trump is now taking questions from the media.
“I wish we could have got further, but I’m optimistic,” says Pompeo.
He says Trump and Kim both felt good about the progress was made.
Mike Pompeo has taken the podium to give some detail. He says “we made really progress... over the last 24-36 hours”, but says “we didn’t get all the way”.
Pompeo says he is still optimistic as the teams continue to meet over the next few weeks.
On North Korea, he says “we had a really productive time”.
He said they all agreed “it wasn’t a good thing to sign anything”.
Trump describes Kim as “quite a guy and quite a character” and the relationship is “very strong”. But says “sometimes you have to walk”.
Donald Trump is speaking.
He is starting with other foreign policy news, praising the economic development in Vietnam and thanks them for their hospitality.
He says there is “reasonably attractive news” from India and Pakistan. “Hopefully that’s going to be coming to an end,” he says. He says peace is “probably going to be happening”.
The press conference has begun. You can watch him speak live here:
Julian Borger, the Guardian’s world affairs editor, says it becomes much harder for Trump to focus attention on his claimed wonderful relationship with Kim as an end in itself, if they have just cancelled lunch together and a signing ceremony.
He adds there is a danger is of a backlash and a return to barbed rhetoric.
Trump’s motorcade has pulled up to the Marriott hotel.
A man was just up on the stage doing a sound check of the microphone, so we should be hearing from the president any moment now.
They are setting up the flags for Trump’s presser in the wake of an abortive summit here in Hanoi pic.twitter.com/ekK0oiXubj
— Julian Borger (@julianborger) February 28, 2019
The president’s interpreter has been seen arriving at the hotel where the press conference is due to take place, but so far no sign of the Trump.
However, the stage is set and scores of journalists are seated and waiting to hear what happened in that room between Trump and Kim.
No deal has been reached, says White House
In a statement, the White House said that Trump and Kim had “very good and constructive meetings in Hanoi”. “
“The two leaders discussed various ways to advance denuclearization and economic driven concepts. No agreement was reached at this time, but their respective teams look forward to meeting in the future.”
"No agreement was reached at this time," says @PressSec. #TrumpKimSummit
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) February 28, 2019
Updated
Trump’s motorcade is on the move after abruptly departing the Metropole hotel where the summit was being held. We’re expecting him to arrive at the Marriott hotel for the press conference shortly.
Kim Jong-un has been pictured leaving the Metropole hotel where discussions were being held.
There has been no joint signing ceremony, no further joint appearance between the two leaders.
What happened in that meeting room?
Kim Jong Un leaves the Metropole without a joint signing ceremony pic.twitter.com/TefzCfab8J
— Oliver Hotham (@OliverHotham) February 28, 2019
The South Korean stock market has nosedived after the Hanoi summit was cut short. The Kospi index dropped sharply when the news emerged shortly before the close of trading. Stocks in Japan, Hong Kong and China were all lower on the day.
Kospi tumbling after Trump-Kim summit abruptly cut short https://t.co/lSWbIlLmt6 @markets pic.twitter.com/1PRuh290yd
— Sarah Wells (@mcdonaldsarahj) February 28, 2019
‘All the signs are bad’
We are gathered for Trump’s press conference at his hotel outside the town centre.
All the signs are the bad, particularly the aborted lunch and signing ceremony. Trump usually revels in such ceremonies, which he likes to style as dramatic breakthroughs and it was built into the schedule since yesterday.
A quick setup is underway for the hastily moved-up press conference, says Steve Herman, the White House bureau chief for Voice of America news.
That press conference was meant to start at 3:50pm local time, but is now scheduled to begin at 2pm (in about 40 minutes).
Quick setup underway for @POTUS news conference now scheduled to begin in 45 minutes. #TrumpKimSummit pic.twitter.com/IqDEhs1OmH
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) February 28, 2019
We have this update from Julian Borger, who has been reporting on the summit from Hanoi.
He says the press was bused over to the venue where the press conference is due to be held and went through security checks but for the past 20 minutes was held on the buses with engines idling and not allowed off.
They have now been allowed off the buses. He says there is some confusion about what happens next. No idea what happened, if something went wrong etc.
I have to say, I am extremely intrigued for this press conference now.
Journalists in Hanoi are waiting at the Marriott for the start of the news conference with Trump. His lunch with Kim and a signing ceremony were cancelled. We don’t know the reason. pic.twitter.com/fKTy4vfM95
— Edward Wong (@ewong) February 28, 2019
There’s still a lot that is unknown at this point. Reporters were waiting in the room where lunch was to be served to the delegations when they were moved to a bus and told there was a program change and lunch was delayed.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders spoke to the press and said negotiations would continue for another 30-45 minutes, but the press conference would be moved up to 2pm (about an hour from now) and refused to comment when asked if there will still be a signing ceremony with the two leaders.
Here’s a pic of the lonely dining room at the Metropole where the delegations never showed. pic.twitter.com/xrsyrrOgYV
— David Nakamura (@DavidNakamura) February 28, 2019
Summit cut short
In dramatic news, Sarah Sanders told pool the negotiations are ongoing but will wrap up at Metropole in next 30 to 45 minutes and Potus will return to Marriott.
Press conference moved up from 4pm to start at 2pm. She declined to say whether there would still be a joint signing ceremony but appears unlikely .
There has been a change in the schedule. The press are being held, awaiting a briefing from Sarah Sanders, White House press secretary. Reporters say there is no sign of either US or North Korean delegations in the lunch room, which is set and ready for the meal.
Lunch was due to begin almost an hour ago after an expanded bilateral talk between Trump, Kim and their teams.
Per WH pool: "At 12:35 pm a WH spokeswoman told pool 'there has been a program change. Pool returning to press hold and we are told Sarah Sanders will come explain. No sign of US or DPRK delegations in the lunch room where table was set with menus and name cards on chairs."
— William Gallo (@GalloVOA) February 28, 2019
Updated
We are behind schedule, folks.
The pool reporter says the expanded bilateral meeting is running long and so far lunch has been delayed by more than 30 minutes.
Plus, we still haven’t seen a menu for lunch and I, for one, am extremely interested to know what will be served. Will we have an interesting five-course, Asian-fusion meal like yesterday’s lunch? Or a frankly uninspired western meal like last night’s dinner?
As soon as I know, you will.
The British ambassador to North Korea Colin Crooks has shared these photographs of North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun which has been surprisingly quick (for Rodong Sinmun) at getting out pictures of last night’s meeting between Trump and Kim.
Crooks calls it: “near real-time reporting.”
Morning coffee in the Residence with today’s Rodong Sinmun #britishembassy #Pyongyang #NorthKorea #HanoiSummit pic.twitter.com/6VoKV24NKC
— Colin Crooks (@ColinCrooks1) February 28, 2019
And more pictures from last night’s dinner on page 2. Near real-time reporting from the Rodong Sinmun #NorthKorea #HanoiSummit #DPRK pic.twitter.com/c2jOaK7kBc
— Colin Crooks (@ColinCrooks1) February 28, 2019
The record of both leaders suggests a surprise outcome remains possible until the last minute, but the mood on Thursday morning suggested incremental confidence-building and risk reduction measures were a more likely outcome of the Hanoi talks – the second summit between the two men – than sweeping disarmament measures.
Since the first summit in Singapore in June last year, Trump and his administration had claimed they were on the brink of a historic breakthrough in persuading North Korea to disarm, going beyond the agreements forged by former US presidents.
But Trump’s remarks represented a recalibration of expectations about substance and speed.
“No rush. No rush,” he insisted. “We just want to do the right deal. Chairman Kim and myself, we want to do the right deal. Speed is not important. What’s important is that we do the right deal.”
Among the confidence-building measures on the table at the talks are the setting up of liaison offices in Washington and Pyongyang, a step towards establishing diplomatic relations. There could be a declaration on formally ending the 1950-53 Korean War, and more progress on the repatriation of the remains of US soldiers killed in that conflict.
The US side had been hoping for major progress in dismantling equipment and facilities at the main North Korean nuclear complex at Yongbyon.
For his part, Kim came to Hanoi hoping for substantial relief from sanctions. But reports from the negotiations and the ambience of the first meeting on Thursday suggested such a major breakthroughs remained elusive as they went into their final session of talks and a working lunch, which was due to be followed by the signing of a joint statement.
Full story is here.
While denuclearisation is the focus of today’s talks, Japan’s prime minister, voiced hope that Trump would push Kim on the cold war abductions of Japanese nationals by North Korean spies.
Shinzo Abe told a parliamentary session on Thursday he was “confident” the president would bring up the abductions - an emotive issue in Japan - as well as make progress on the North’s missile and nuclear programmes, which he called a “major threat” to Japan.
“I am confident that President Trump will pass on my views on the settlement of the nuclear and abduction issues to Chairman Kim Jong-un,” Abe said.
Trump told Abe last week that he would support attempts to repatriate 12 citizens Japan says were abducted in the 1970s and 80s. Five abductees returned to Japan in 2002 following a summit in Pyongyang between the then North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il, and Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi.
North Korea has said that eight of the remaining victims died and that the other four never entered the country - claims that Tokyo has dismissed.
Julian Borger, our world affairs editor, has this context in light of Trump’s enthusiastic response to the idea of a US liaison office to be established in Pyongyang:
“It is a longstanding wish of the DPRK to have diplomatic relations established, but the US has in the past held back such a move for leverage.
“The North Korean strategy has been fairly consistent for many years, from before Kim Jong-un inherited power, to push for normalisation while holding on to a basic nuclear deterrent.”
Full transcript of Trump and Kim joint press spray
Trump: Are you all having a good time in Hanoi? Everybody having a good time, everybody, Jeff? I hope.
Jeff Mason of Reuters: Chairman Kim are you prepared to denuclearise?
Kim: If I’m not willing to do that I won’t be here right now.
Trump: Good answer. That might be the best answer you’ve ever heard.
Journalist: Are you willing to take concrete steps, or not quite yet?
Kim: That is what we are discussing right now.
Trump: And don’t raise your voice, please. This isn’t like yelling with Trump.
Kim: They all seem to be [inaudible].
Trump: They’re anxious and they’re [inaudible].
Mason: Chairman Kim, are you discussing human rights with President Trump?
Trump: We’re discussing everything. So I just want to thank everybody for being here, we’re having very productive discussions, we’ll see where it all goes. I think we’re having very productive discussions and we appreciate it. I think we’re having a press conference later on and we’ll then be heading out back to our respective homes. The relationship is as good as it has ever been, better.
Journalist: President Trump is the time right for a political statement ending the war?
Trump: No matter what happens we’ll ultimately have a deal that’s really good for Chairman Kim and his country and for us, I think ultimately that’s what is going to happen. That’s where it’s all leading. It doesn’t mean we’re doing it in one day, or two days, it’s all leading toward a very big success, I really believe with this great leadership North Korea I really believe it’s going to be very successful and economically it’s going to be something very special.
Journalist: Chairman Kim are you ready to allow the United States to have an office in Pyongyang? Are you ready for that step?
Trump: That’s actually a good question, I would actually like to hear the answer to that question. Not a bad idea.
Kim: I think that is something that would be welcomable.
Journalist: Is it a welcome idea today? To be announced?
Trump: I actually think it’s a good idea. Both ways.
Kim: If you would kindly give us more time between us, because even one minute is more precious to us. Thank you.
Trump: Thank you.
Updated
The US journalists in the press pack are marvelling at the fact that Kim Jong-un, who until today was not known to have ever answered a question by a western journalist, has been responding to so many questions.
One journalist counted that David Nakamura from the Washington post, Margaret Talev from Bloomberg and Jeff Mason from Reuters all managed to get answers from Kim Jong-un today.
Talev has invited Trump to make the press conference he is set to hold this afternoon a joint one, saying “We have more questions.”
Well, I don't think any of us in today's White House travel pool thought we'd be shouting Qs at Kim Jong Un during summit and getting answers.... but it's happened. If @realdonaldtrump would like to make it a joint news conference later today we have more Qs. @tictoc
— Margaret Talev (@margarettalev) February 28, 2019
I’ll get the full text of that discussion with the leaders for you as soon as it comes through, but here are some other snippets from Trump and Kim’s press spray held as they were seated for the expanded bilateral meeting.
Kim Jong-un was asked whether he was willing to denuclearise, to which he replied: “If I’m not willing to do that, I won’t be here right now.”
To which Trump replied: “Good answer. That might be the best answer you’ve ever heard.”
Asked whether they are discussing human rights, Trump says “we’re discussing everything”.
A journalist asked: “Are you ready for the US to have an office in Pyongyang?”
Trump replied: “That’s an interesting question, I would actually like to hear the answer to that question. Not a bad idea.”
Kim said he would be happy a US liaison office in Pyongyang, saying the move would be “welcomable”.
BREAKING: Kim Jong Un, asked if he's ready to denuclearize, says if not he wouldn't be here. Trump and Kim also say "good idea" to set up diplomatic office for relations https://t.co/gCQuNAWktC pic.twitter.com/pKYWLuFOVl
— Bloomberg Politics (@bpolitics) February 28, 2019
Kim says an American office in Pyongyang would be 'welcome'
Kim Jong-un has been asked if America could have an office in Pyongyang. Trump took up the journalist’s question and said he would be “very interested to hear the answer to that” question.
Kim replies that such an idea is “welcome-able”, before the press were dismissed from the room by Kim’s team, who said “even one minute” of discussion between the leaders was “very precious”.
Talks a 'very big success' says Trump at expanded bilateral meeting
Trump and Kim are addressing the press after their expanded bilateral meeting.
Trump reiterates his views that North Korea could have a bright future and says the talk has been a “very big success”.
Updated
Aside from showing the security at and sensitivities of the summit, this latest pool report also tells us that there has been a delay in the post-bilateral meeting spray, in which press can ask questions and take photos of the two leaders.
We’re expecting that to take place any moment now.
A minor spat between a White House wrangler and a North Korean security guard has been reported.
“Pool was rounded up to get ready for expanded bilat spray; we waited about 20 minutes then were informed of a ‘change of plans’ and told we’d wait 15-20 min more. No explanation given,” said David Nakamura, the Washington Post reporter assigned to the press pool.
“We are waiting in press hold at restaurant adjoining Metropole. During wait pooler witnessed a North Korean security guard accusing a WH wrangler of having taken a photo – presumably out window where we can see Kim Jong-un’s Mercedes being watching by local police in green uniforms and helmets. The wrangler said he had not done so and a US Secret Service agent assigned to press pool intervened to say the wrangler had done nothing wrong. That defused the situation.”
While we wait for the conclusion of the expanded bilateral talk, which is due to wrap up in a bit over an hour, have a read of Julian Borger’s analysis of yesterday’s meetings between Trump and Kim.
Donald Trump vowed that his second meeting with Kim Jong-un would be at least the equal of the first and his Vietnamese hosts tried their utmost to make that happen.
In Hanoi on Wednesday evening, every effort was made in recreating the circumstances and ambience of Singapore, scene last June of the historic first meeting between an incumbent US president and a North Korea leader.
The backdrop and choreography had been meticulously copied, with the two leaders advancing towards one another in front of a row of alternating US and North Korean flags.
They clasped hands as they met, exchanged inaudible words, smiled and pivoted towards the wall of cameras. Just as they had done last June in Singapore, they then sat alongside each other by a coffee table and praised each other for the benefit of the press.
Trump dubbed Kim, head one of the most murderous regimes of modern times, a “great leader” whose future would have a “tremendous future” with US help.
Kim returned the compliment, crediting the fact that the two men were meeting at all because of Trump’s “courageous decision”. Both men devoted most of their words talking up the significance of Singapore.
Here is video of Trump’s full address to the press ahead of the bilateral meeting.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 28, 2019
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 28, 2019
There is some speculation about what role - if any - national security advisor John Bolton is playing in Hanoi.
Bolton was not at last night’s dinner and according to the pool report is not in today’s expanded bilateral, but he is certainly in attendance at the summit. He has been pictured standing with Sarah Hucakabee Sanders and Mike Pompeo at the Metropole Hotel.
Photo from White House pooler @DavidNakamura offers a glimpse of national security advisor John Bolton, who is in Hanoi but wasn't at last night's dinner, or today's expanded bilateral, it appears. His main public presence since landing has been tweeting on Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/d38gycHYrv
— Jonathan Cheng (@JChengWSJ) February 28, 2019
More on the question of whether today was the first time Kim answered a question from international media.
Channel 4 News claim they are the first international media to put a question to the North Korean leader, back in 2013, though the chairman did not answer it.
Here's the first ever 'question' posed by int'l media to Kim Jong Un - in 2013 by @Channel4News
— Chad O'Carroll (@chadocl) February 28, 2019
KJU didn't answer, though!https://t.co/vn1FGvCMu0
What they said to the press
Before heading into talks, Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un sat down before the assembled press pack and answered questions. Both men were hopeful about achieving a good outcome, but Trump also tempered expectations.
Here are Trump’s full remarks:
Well, thank you very much Chairman Kim, and it’s great to be with you again. And, I’m sure over the years we’ll be together a lot, and I think we’ll also be together after the fact, meaning after the deal is made.
We had very good discussions last night at dinner, and the pre-dinner was very good. And, there were a lot of great ideas being thrown about. I think very importantly, the relationship is, you know, just very strong, and when you have a good relationship, a lot of good things happen.
So, I can’t speak necessarily for today, but I can say that this, a little bit longer term, and over a period of time, I know we’re going to have a fantastic success with respect to Chairman Kim and North Korea. They’re going to have an economic powerhouse. I’ve been writing about it, I’ve been talking about it. I think it’s going to be an economic powerhouse. And it’s something I very much look forward to helping with because with a little bit of help in the right location and the right place, I think it’s going to be something very special.
I’ve been saying very much from the beginning that speed is not that important to me. I very much appreciate no testing of nuclear rockets, missiles, any of it. Very much appreciate it.
And, Chairman Kim and I had a great talk about that last night. I’ll let him say what he said if he’d like to and if he doesn’t, he doesn’t have to. But, we had a very good talk about that last night. And again, I am in no rush.
We don’t want the testing, and we’ve developed something very special with respect to that. But, I just want to say I have great respect for Chairman Kim, and I have great respect for his country, and I believe that it will be something economically that will be almost hard to compete with for many countries. It has such potential.
Kim, for his part, said “I believe by intuition that good results will be produced.”
“I believe that starting from yesterday, the whole world is looking at this spot right now,” he said, via his translator. “I’m sure that all of them will be watching the moment that we are sitting together side by side as if they are watching a fantasy movie.”
Kim also took a question from the press pack. It is believed this is the first time the North Korean leader has answered a question from a foreign reporter.
David Nakamura from the Washington Post asked Kim Jong-un if he felt confident he could get a deal with Donald Trump. Kim replied: “It’s too early to say. I would not say I’m pessimistic. I do have a feeling that good results will come out.”
Updated
Trump and Kim just strolled across the inner courtyard of the Metropole and where Mike Pompeo and Kim Yong-chol, the former DPRK intel chief and lead negotiator were waiting for them. After chatting through interpreters for a couple of minutes they went inside, presumably to start the first working session of the day
Updated
Trump and Kim are now sequestered away for their one-on-one bilateral meeting. That will run for another 15 minutes before they are joined by officials for an expanded bilateral meeting, which should run for about two hours before they sit down to lunch.
It is interesting to see that Trump and Kim took questions from the press pack this morning, after the drama that took place last night when Trump barred reporters from attending the dinner between Trump and Kim.
Only one US print reporter, the Wall Street Journal’s Vivan Salama, was allowed in to the dinner between Trump and Kim. Four others were barred. The White House had attempted to bar all reporters, but relented after photographers said they would not cover the event if reporters were not allowed in, according to the Associated Press, whose correspondent was among those barred.
The North Korean press, meanwhile, was allowed in to the dinner.
The White House Correspondents’ Association condemned the Trump administration’s barring of reporters from the dinner between Trump and Kim.
The group “strenuously objects to the capricious decision to exclude some journalists,” president Olivier Knox said.
“This summit provides and opportunity for the American presidency to display its strength by facing vigorous questioning from a free and independent news media, not telegraph weakness by retreating behind arbitrary last-minute restrictions on coverage,” he said.
"It's too early to tell, but I wouldn't say that I'm pessimistic," North Korea's Kim Jong Un tells reporters when asked if he is confident a deal will be reached. pic.twitter.com/gzmyrzTZwE
— PBS NewsHour (@NewsHour) February 28, 2019
Julian Borger, the Guardian’s world affairs editor, says this is “probably” the first time Kim has answered a question from a foreign journalist, though offers the reminder that Kim has travelled to China and it is “unlikely but possible” that he was asked a question by a Chinese journalist on one of these trips.
As far as we know it is the first question by a western journalist though. Well done to David Nakamura.
Updated
Kim Jong-un answers question from a western journalist for first time ever
Kim Jong-un also took a question from the press pack, which has people wondering if this is the first time the North Korean leader has answered a question from a foreign reporter.
David Nakamura from the Washington Post was the journalist with the question. He asked Kim Jong-un if he felt confident he could get a deal with Donald Trump. Kim replied: “It’s too early to say. I would not say I’m pessimistic. I do have a feeling that good results will come out.”
Updated
Our world affairs editor, Julian Borger, is on the ground in Hanoi and says Trump is looking “grim”.
Trump looked pretty grim. Here is the key quote: "I can't speak necessarily for today, but I can say a little bit longer term and over a period of time I know we are going to have a fantastic success with respect to chairman Kim and North Korea."
— Julian Borger (@julianborger) February 28, 2019
Trump predicts ‘wonderful dialogue’ as leaders answer questions ahead of discussions
Trump and Kim are currently sitting down in front of journalists and fielding a few questions before they go into their meeting.
Trump says that despite skepticism about their meeting “We’ll sit together and have wonderful dialogue and I’ll do my best to bring about a wonderful day today.”
Trump is doing some serious lowering of expectations.
“I’m in no rush. Speed is not important,” he tells a reporter. “Over a period of time we’ll have fantastic success. What’s important is we get it right.”
Updated
Dennis Rodman, retired basketball player and de facto envoy to North Korea, has published a letter addressed to Donald Trump, expressing his support for the president’s work in Hanoi.
“We have a lot of work to do, but with your diverse team, amazing global contacts and willingness to think outside the box, we can have peace on the Korean Peninsula. We really can,” Rodman writes in the letter.
“You are on the cusp of a big, beautiful deal. One that would make you the front runner for a Nobel Peace Prize without question. You have my forever and forever support!”
🌎✌🏿❤️ pic.twitter.com/4bEhd02rRz
— Dennis Rodman (@dennisrodman) February 28, 2019
Rodman, along with a group of journalists from Vice, first visited North Korea in 2013 after an invitation from Kim and since then he has been an advocate for renewed dialogue between the countries.
Rodman was in Singapore during the summit last year and made a now famous emotional appearance on CNN.
A reminder of what’s going to happen now (all times in local time):
- 9am - Trump and Kim in one-on-one bilateral meeting
- 9:45am - Trump and Kim joined by other people for an expanded bilateral meeting
- 11:55am - working lunch
- 2:05pm - Trump and Kim participate in a joint agreement signing ceremony
- 2:40pm - Trump leaves the Metropole hotel and heads back to the Marriott hotel
- 3:50pm - Trump holds press conference
Here is live footage of the leaders arriving at the hotel venue. You can see the intense security measures in place.
Trump and Kim are arriving at the Metropole Hotel in Hanoi to continue their talks.
#TrumpKimSummit Day 2 getting underway. Both @POTUS and Kim Jong Un arriving at @MetropoleHanoi. pic.twitter.com/M9gedNAdKm
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) February 28, 2019
A reminder of the other Trump news story going around at the moment – and the one we suspect the president would much rather we not be talking about – the explosive allegations from Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen.
Today in public testimony before Congress, Cohen accused Trump of knowing in advance about key events under investigation in the Russia inquiry and of committing criminal conspiracy in the coverup of an extramarital affair.
We have a live blog of those developments here and you can read the full story of what Cohen is alleging here.
For our purposes, the allegations look set to overshadow the summit. Given how much coverage Trump’s first summit with Kim received and how often Trump pats himself on the back for it, we can be sure that Trump will be deeply unhappy that anything is stealing the limelight from his summit redux.
Indeed, senator Lindsey Graham told CNN last night that Donald Trump is upset there are “dueling shows” featuring his North Korea summit and Michael Cohen’s testimony and that television news will be split between covering Cohen in Washington and Trump in Hanoi.
Sen. Lindsey Graham tells @sunlenserfaty he spoke to President Trump last night. “I think he was upset he was gonna have dueling shows here," Graham said. "That it did bother him there's going to be a split screen between Michael Cohen and Kim Jong Un."
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) February 27, 2019
How North Korean media are covering the summit
Even before his first handshake with Trump, photos of leader Kim Jong-un were featured on the front page of the ruling party’s daily newspaper, Rodong Sinmun. The news of his travels was also broadcast on nationwide television.
There appears to be an effort to present the news in a somewhat more visually appealing manner. Man-in-the-street interviews, which have traditionally been carefully staged and done in several takes to make sure they come out just right, are looking more casual. What the people have to say, however, is as predictable as ever.
Nearly every interviewee speaks of their ardent wish for Kim to return home safely, of their intense longing for his guidance and how he has inspired them to work ever harder for the glory of their nation.
There has been little or no significant coverage of what the two leaders discuss. Denuclearisation is almost never mentioned, nor is the debate in the United States about the merits of meeting with Kim at all.
The vast majority of North Korean people do not have access to foreign media, and the domestic media are all state-controlled.
But the regime is well aware that the population is not entirely isolated from outside media. Some foreign books, including Harry Potter, films and television shows are allowed.
What the leaders said to (and about) each other yesterday:
Trump: “It is an honour to be with Chairman Kim. It’s an honour to be together in a country, Vietnam, where they have rolled out the red carpet and they are very honoured to have us.
“It’s great to be with you. We had a very good first summit … Some people would like it to go quicker, but I’m satisfied. You’re satisfied. We want to be happy with what we’re doing.
“I thought the first summit was a great success. And I think this one hopefully will be equal or greater than the first. And we made a lot of progress … I think the biggest progress was our relationship, which is really a good one.”
“I think your country has tremendous economic potential – unbelievable, unlimited. I think you will have a tremendous future with your country – a great leader. And I look forward to watching it happen and helping it to happen.”
Kim: “I truly believe this successful summit is because of [the] courageous decision by Trump [to meet].
“Since we last met, there has been some who misunderstood situation and some past hostilities, but we overcame that. A lot of patience is needed.”
Double act:
Kim: “We had exchanged a very interesting dialogue with each other – ”
Trump: “We did.”
Kim: “ – for about 30 minutes.”
Trump: “Boy, if you could have heard that dialogue, what you would pay for that dialogue? It was good.”
Welcome, and how the day will unfold
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the second day of meetings between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un in Vietnam.
The two leaders met yesterday – their first meeting since their historic summit in Singapore last June – but the main discussions will take place today.
Yesterday’s talks between the leaders seemed to largely consist of happy reminiscences of their first summit last year. Trump dubbed Kim a “great leader” whose future would have a “tremendous future” with US help.
Prior to their meeting, Trump has said that the potential for a deal reached by the two leaders is “awesome”. If the talks did lead to progress in dismantling the North Korean arsenal and re-integrating the country back into the international community, that would be an enormous achievement, writes the Guardian’s world affairs editor Julian Borger, who is on the ground in Hanoi.
But, as Julian writes: “What will count is whether the Hanoi meeting succeeds in adding substance to the largely rhetorical outcome of the first summit, in Singapore in June. There the two leaders agreed to the “denuclearization of the Korean peninsula” but interpreted the phrase in very different ways.”
Will some diplomatic meat get put on the bones in today’s talks? We’ll see.
Here’s the schedule for today:
Trump is due to arrive at the Metropole Hotel at 8:45am local time (12:45pm Sydney time, 8:45pm US east coast time), before starting a one-on-one bilateral meeting with Kim at 9am.
That talk is scheduled to run for 45 minutes before the leaders are joined by other people for an expanded bilateral meeting at 9:45am.
At 11:55am local time, there is a working lunch scheduled for the group (stay tuned for the menu).
At 2:05pm, Trump and Kim are set to participate in a joint agreement signing ceremony.
At 2:40pm, Trump leaves the Metropole hotel and heads back to the Marriott hotel, where he has been staying, where he will hold a press conference at 3:50pm. Trump will then head back to Washington.
We’ll have updates and analysis throughout the day. Julian Borger is on the ground in Hanoi, follow him on Twitter. If you have questions, news tips or just general reflections on the summit, please get in touch with me, either by email kate.lyons@theguardian.com or on Twitter.
