Trump crosses into North Korea, meets with Kim Jong Un

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U.S. President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea, June 30, 2019. KEVIN LAMARQUE / REUTERS

BY CAROLINE LINTON

UPDATED ON: JUNE 30, 2019 / 5:38 AM / CBS NEWS

President Trump on Sunday became the first sitting U.S. president to set foot on North Korean soil when he crossed into the Demilitarized Zone that divides the Korean peninsula to hold an impromptu and historic meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

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After the roughly 45-minute-long meeting, Mr. Trump told reporters he and Kim had agreed to restart negotiations in the hopes of brokering a deal to start the full denuclearization of the peninsula — a long-sought and elusive foreign policy goal of American administrations for decades. The president, who hailed his “great relationship” with the North Korean strongman, invited Kim to the White House to continue talks.

Through an interpreter, Kim told Mr. Trump, “I never expected to meet you in this place.”

The president, meanwhile, called the meeting a “big moment” after years of bitter hostility between the two countries that dates back to the Korean War. U.S. forces have been deployed in South Korea since the height of the civil war in the peninsula, which has technically not ended because no armistice was ever signed. Large-scale fighting ceased in the summer of 1953.

In an earlier press conference with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Mr. Trump said it was too soon to know whether there will be a third summit with Kim following the unsuccessful summit earlier this year in Vietnam.

Trump on Kim visit to U.S.: “I said at the right time, you’re going to come over”

Although Mr. Trump invited Kim to the White House in front of the journalists at the border, he told reporters later that while meeting with Kim, “I said, at the right time, you’re going to come over.”

But Mr. Trump then said “I said, any time he wants to do it.”

Trump calls talks “very positive”

Mr. Trump said he and Kim had a “pretty long chat.”

“It was a very positive day, a very positive event,” Mr. Trump said. “I think it’s really good for the world.”

Trump recounts the border crossing

Mr. Trump described the border crossing as Kim asking him if he would like walk over into North Korea and “I said, I would be so honored.”

“I said I would be honored to do that — I didn’t know what was he was going to say, but it was my honor,” Mr. Trump said.

Trump says U.S. agreed to restart nuclear talks

Mr. Trump and Kim concluded their meeting at the DMZ after about 45 minutes and agreed to restart nuclear talks within weeks. “We’re not looking for speed, we’re looking to get it right,” Mr. Trump said.

Mr. Trump called it a “legendary day” and noted that it was “quick notice, nobody saw it coming.”

“A lot has already come up,” Mr. Trump said.

Mr. Trump also called the Hanoi summit, which ended abruptly and without any agreement, a “great success” because it led to this meeting.

Moon said the U.S. and North Korea agreeing to speak “constitutes a great success.”

Trump: “Feels great” to be first president to step into North Korea

Speaking before the media, Mr. Trump said it “feels great” to be the first U.S. sitting president to step into North Korea. “It was an honor to do that,” Mr. Trump said.

“This is a special moment — and as President Moon said, this is a historic moment,” Mr. Trump said.

Kim praised Mr. Trump, calling it a “courageous and determined act.”

Trump invites Kim to the White House

Mr. Trump has invited Kim to the White House. Although Mr. Trump said the meeting could be just a handshake, the meeting appeared to be more substantial.

Moon also shook hands with Kim, which was a change from earlier when Moon said he would not be coming along for the meeting.

Mr. Trump made history by becoming the first sitting U.S. president to step onto North Korean soil when he crossed over the DMZ after sharing a symbolic handshake with Kim.

Trump visits observation area

U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in are seen at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, in Paju
President Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in are seen at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea, in this still image from video taken June 30, 2019.SOUTH KOREAN POOL/VIA REUTERS

Mr. Trump visited an observation area at the DMZ, accompanied by Moon.

The visit gave him his first look into North Korea. This is his first visit to the DMZ, since weather prevented him from going the last time he was in South Korea.

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