President Donald Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un met in Singapore on June 12 for a much anticipated summit where the leaders pledged complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. However, denuclearization is one step in the final resolution to the division of the Korean nation.
Although both leaders signed the statement, expressing their commitment to a peaceful resolution to the conflict on the Korean peninsula, the final outcome rests in the hands of the Korean people. Will the seven-decade-long conflict finally come to a close with peaceful reunification? Discussions to form a vision for a reunified nation and actions towards that end can move the people towards such an end.
It remains hopeful that citizens will be able to connect to each other across the 38th parallel based on thousands of years of shared history to ensure fundamental human rights and commit to building a new nation that brings prosperity to the world.
Below is the full text of the joint statement made at the summit.
President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Thursday, at Singapore’s Capella Hotel in what is the first meeting between a sitting U.S. president and a North Korean leader. Photo by Shealah Craighead/UPI
Joint Statement of President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea at the Singapore Summit
President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) held a first, historic summit in Singapore on June 12, 2018.
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 US-DPRK relations and the building of a lasting and robust peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. 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.
Convinced that the establishment of new US-DPRK relations will contribute to the peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and of the world, and recognizing that mutual confidence building can promote the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un state the following:
- The United States and the DPRK commit to establish new US-DPRK relations in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity.
- The United States and DPRK will join their efforts to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.
- Reaffirming the April 27, 2018 Panmunjom Declaration, the DPRK commits to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula
- The United States and the DPRK commit to recovering POW/MIA remains, including the immediate repatriation of those already identified.
President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at Singapore’s Capella Hotel in the first meeting between a sitting U.S. president and a North Korean leader. Photo by Stephanie Chasez/UPI
Having acknowledged that the US-DPRK summit — the first in history — was an epochal event of great significance in overcoming decades of tensions and hostilities between the two countries and for the opening up of a new future, President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un commit to implement the stipulations in the joint statement fully and expeditiously. The United States and the DPRK commit to hold follow-on negotiations, led by the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and a relevant high-level DPRK official, at the earliest possible date, to implement the outcomes of the US-DPRK summit.
President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have committed to cooperate for the development of new US-DPRK relations and for the promotion of peace, prosperity, and the security of the Korean Peninsula and of the world.
DONALD J. TRUMP
President of the United States of America
KIM JONG UN
Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
June 12, 2018
Sentosa Island
Singapore