WASHINGTON -- US officials have crossed the border into North Korea to continue preparations for a potential meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the State Department said Sunday.
The two sides are holding talks in the truce village of Panmunjom, which sits on the inter-Korean border, the department's spokeswoman, Heather Nauert, said in a statement.
"A US delegation is in ongoing talks with North Korean officials at Panmunjom. We continue to prepare for a meeting between the president and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un," she said.
This photo shows the Peace House located on the southern side of the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom on April 27, 2018. (Yonhap)
The Washington Post reported the news earlier, saying the US team is led by Amb. Sung Kim, a former US ambassador to Seoul and former negotiator on North Korea's nuclear weapons program. The North Korean side is led by Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui.
Trump and Kim agreed to meet in Singapore June 12 to talk about the denuclearization of the regime. But Trump canceled the summit Thursday, citing "tremendous anger and open hostility" from the North.
North Korea issued a conciliatory statement that it was still ready to talk with the US at any time. Trump later said the historic meeting could still take place June 12 as planned. (Yonhap)
