U.S. President Donald Trump shared what he said were letters Thursday from North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, saying “great progress being made!”
Trump shared the letters on social media, one written in Korean and the other a translation.
READ MORE: Donald Trump still confident Kim Jong Un will denuclearize, honouring ‘our handshake’
“The significant first meeting with Your Excellency and the joint statement that we signed together in Singapore 24 days ago was indeed the start of a meaningful journey,” reads the letter dated July 6. “I deeply appreciate the energetic and extraordinary efforts made by Your Excellency Mr. President for the improvement of relations between the two countries and the faithful implementation of the joint statement.”
On June 12, Trump and Kim pledged the “complete denuclearization” of the Korean peninsula following a historic meeting between the two leaders.
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“President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un conducted a comprehensive, in-depth, and sincere exchange of opinions on the issues related to the establishment of new U.S.–DPRK relations and the building of a lasting and robust peace regime on the Korean Peninsula,” the leaders said in a joint statement. “President Trump committed to provide security guarantees to the DPRK, and Chairman Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”
READ MORE: U.S. secretary of state calls on North Korea to replicate Vietnam’s ‘miracle’
The statement was light on the specifics of the de-nuking of the Korean Peninsula.
“I firmly believe that the strong will, sincere efforts and unique approach of myself and Your Excellency Mr. President aimed at opening up a new future between the DPRK and the U.S. will surely come to fruition,” Kim said in the letter.
Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met North Korean officials in Pyongyang to discuss the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.
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Pompeo in Pyongyang to nail down details of North Korea agreement -
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State Department says North Korea is very clear on U.S. expectations on denuclearization -
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Mike Pompeo’s trip raises questions about North Korea’s commitment to denuclearize -
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White House won’t comment on reports of increased nuclear production by North Korea
Pompeo met with officials to “fill in” details on how to dismantle the North’s nuclear program and recover the remains of U.S. troops missing from the Korean War.
While Pompeo was in the North, a South Korean lawmaker said the North appeared to be working on a new submarine capable of launching ballistic missiles. A member of South Korea’s official opposition party said the North’s nuclear and missile facilities are continuing to function despite Kim Jong Un’s pledge to work towards de-nuking his country, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported.
“Nothing has changed in North Korea,” Kim Hack-yong said in a statement. “Contrary to our military’s suspension of joint Korea-U.S. military exercises, North Korea is conducting military exercises on a scale similar to previous years.”
The lawmaker served as a chairman of the parliamentary defense committee, and was recently briefed on the North’s military activities, the South Korean news agency reported.
“The military is also strengthening ideological education, such as holding anti-American discussions,” Kim Hack-yong said.
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