Update 11:35 a.m. EDT May 29: White House officials confirmed in a statement later Tuesday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is scheduled to meet with North Korea's vice chairman of the Central Committee, Kim Yong Chol, in New York.
Sanders said a U.S. delegation is meeting with the North Korean delegation at the DMZ.
“The U.S. continues to actively prepare for @POTUS expected summit w/leader Kim in Singapore,” Sanders said.
Since @POTUS May 24 letter to NK leader Kim Jong Un, the North Koreans have been engaging. The U.S. continues to actively prepare for @POTUS expected summit w/ leader Kim in Singapore. @POTUS will meet w/ Prime Minister @AbeShinzo on June 7th @WhiteHouse.
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) May 29, 2018
Trump said last week that he remains open to meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hours after he canceled their planned summit in a letter released by White House officials. The meeting was scheduled to take place June 12 in Singapore.
Original report: "We have put a great team together for our talks with North Korea. Meetings are currently taking place concerning Summit, and more," Trump wrote at 6:30 a.m. EDT. "Kim Young [sic] Chol, the Vice Chairman of North Korea, heading now to New York. Solid response to my letter, thank you!"
We have put a great team together for our talks with North Korea. Meetings are currently taking place concerning Summit, and more. Kim Young Chol, the Vice Chairman of North Korea, heading now to New York. Solid response to my letter, thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2018
CNBC, CNN and other news outlets described Kim Yong Chol as North Korea's former spy chief. The Associated Press, citing South Korean news reports, said he was traveling to the U.S. "possibly for talks on planning the summit on the future of North Korea's nuclear weapons program."
He is "the most senior North Korean official to visit the United States in 18 years," the AP reported.
– The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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