Donald Trump: Kim Jong-un initiates meeting with POTUS

KIM Jong-un has invited Donald Trump to visit North Korea and has promised to suspend the nuclear testing that has frightened the world. 

The extraordinary move comes after a delegation of South Korean officials met with Kim last week in Pyongyang.

A senior South Korean delegation came to the White House to brief officials on its most recent talks with North Korea and hand-delivered a letter from Kim to Mr Trump inviting him to talks.

South Korean National Security Adviser Chung Eui-yong announced Mr Trump had agreed to meet Kim in May.

No siting US President has ever met with a North Korean leader.

Mr Chung said North Korea has committed to stopping his nuclear and missile tests, a longstanding US demand.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed the President had agreed to the meeting.

She said Mr Trump will accept the invitation to meet with Kim at a place and time to be determined.

However she stressed all sanctions would remain in place in the meantime.

.@POTUS greatly appreciates the nice words of the S. Korean delegation & Pres Moon. He will accept the invitation to meet w/ Kim Jong Un at a place & time to be determined. We look forward to the denuclearization of NK. In the meantime all sanctions & maximum pressure must remain

— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) March 9, 2018

Speaking outside the White House Mr Chung confirmed Kim has committed to stopping his nuclear and missile tests.

“Today I had the honour to invite Donald Trump and his national security team to Pyongyang,” he said

Mr Chung said he explained to Mr Trump his policy, together with international solidarity, had “brought us to this juncture”.

Mr Trump had earlier said that South Korea will make a “major announcement” concerning North Korea.

When asked whether the announcement would be about talks with North Korea and he told ABC reporter Jon Karl: “It’s almost beyond that. Hopefully, you will give me credit.”

The major move comes after Seoul publicised that North Korea offered talks with the United States on denuclearisation and normalising ties, a potential diplomatic opening after a year of escalating tensions over the North’s nuclear and missile tests.

The two leaders had called each other nicknames for month sin an escalating war of words which set the world on edge.

It is understood the US and South Korea will still undertake military exercises, a move Pyongyang has called provocative.

Park Strategies senior vice president Sean King, an expert on Asian politics, told news.com.au Kim’s offer to freeze without asking the US to suspend our military exercises was a major win.

“Trump’s accepted Kim’s invitation. I’m fine with that, so long as South Korea’s in the lead which it is,” he said.

“Just don’t overlook Japan which has been our most steadfast regional ally and is in North Korea’s immediate line of nuclear fire.”

Mr King said the US lost nothing by Mr Trump agreeing to meet Kim.

“I still don’t think there’s any real deal to be made, though, as eventual regime change is the only practical way out,” he said.

“But I don’t want to diminish what’s happened, as we just witnessed history. Enjoy the moment.”