A historic summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's leader Kim Jong Un is set to begin at 9 a.m. local time (02:00 GMT) on Tuesday morning.
Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula will be the central theme of the meeting, the first between a sitting U.S. president and a DPRK leader, although the U.S. side has stressed that relationship building is the initial goal.
U.S. officials briefed on Monday that the unprecedented summit would begin at the Capella Hotel on the Singaporean island of Sentosa with a handshake between the leaders, followed by one-on-one talks during which the two men will be accompanied only by interpreters.
Officials from the two sides are then scheduled to join the leaders for further talks and a working lunch. Both Trump and Kim are expected to leave Singapore later on Tuesday.
A path to the goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula may include lifting of international sanctions on Pyongyang, foreign investment in the DPRK, the granting of security assurances, and a formal end to the Korean War.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday that the U.S. is willing to offer the DPRK "unique" security guarantees if it embarks on "complete verifiable and irreversible denuclearization."
The DPRK's state media outlet KCNA said on Monday that a "permanent and durable peace-keeping mechanism" on the Korean Peninsula, denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and other issues of mutual concern would be discussed.
