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Watch History: First Handshake Between a US President and NK Leader

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President Donald Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un met in Singapore Tuesday morning in a historic summit.

People across the world watched as history was made as the two leaders shook hands and exchanged greetings at the start of the first-ever meeting between a sitting U.S. president and a North Korean leader.

“I am very happy to meet you here in Singapore,” Kim told Trump, according to Grabien News.

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Trump also gave Kim a pat on the back as the two walked outside the Capella Hotel on Singapore’s Sentosa Island.

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The leaders met for roughly five hours and Trump thanked the North Korean leader “for taking the first bold step toward a bright new future for his people.”

“Today, we had a historic meeting and decided to leave the past behind,” Kim said through a translator, CNN reported. “The world will see a major change.”

The two leaders signed what the president described as a “very important” and “pretty comprehensive” document in front of reporters after their Tuesday summit.

The president did not disclose the details of what was in the document but after signing it, he held it up briefly for photographers and some of the text was visible.

“President Trump committed to provide security guarantees to the DPRK and Chairman Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” read the preamble of the document, according to the New York Post.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defined security guarantees for North Korea as “sufficient certainty that they can be comfortable that denuclearization isn’t something that ends badly for them.”

Before the summit, Pompeo reassured the world that the U.S. would maintain its tight economic sanctions against North Korea until the country denuclearizes. He also threatened to increase those sanctions if diplomatic discussions did not progress positively.

The two countries also agreed to work toward “peace and prosperity,” a “stable peace” on the peninsula, to work “toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” and to commit to “recovering POW/MIA remains including the immediate reparations of those already identified.”

Trump acknowledged that denuclearization won’t happen overnight, but said, “Once you start the process it means it’s pretty much over.”

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The two leaders had open and friendly body language throughout the summit, despite their rocky past.

“We learned a lot about each other and our countries,” Trump said after the summit, according to CNN. “I learned he’s a very talented man.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Erin Coates was an editor for The Western Journal for over two years before becoming a news writer. A University of Oregon graduate, Erin has conducted research in data journalism and contributed to various publications as a writer and editor.
Erin Coates was an editor for The Western Journal for over two years before becoming a news writer. She grew up in San Diego, California, proceeding to attend the University of Oregon and graduate with honors holding a degree in journalism. During her time in Oregon, Erin was an associate editor for Ethos Magazine and a freelance writer for Eugene Magazine. She has conducted research in data journalism, which has been published in the book “Data Journalism: Past, Present and Future.” Erin is an avid runner with a heart for encouraging young girls and has served as a coach for the organization Girls on the Run. As a writer and editor, Erin strives to promote social dialogue and tell the story of those around her.
Birthplace
Tucson, Arizona
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated with Honors
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, University of Oregon
Books Written
Contributor for Data Journalism: Past, Present and Future
Location
Prescott, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English, French
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Health, Entertainment, Faith




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