North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed “great satisfaction” after receiving a letter from US President Donald Trump and spoke highly of the latter’s “determination and will” to resolve issues between the two countries, Pyongyang state media reported on Thursday.
Kim made the remark after top aide Kim Yong-chol briefed him on the results of his visit to Washington last week that included meetings with Trump and other top officials for talks about a second summit between the two countries, Pyongyang’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a report.
“Upon receiving the good personal letter sent by President Trump, the Supreme Leader expressed great satisfaction. He spoke highly of President Trump for expressing his unusual determination and will for the settlement of the issue with a great interest in the second North Korea-US summit,” Yonhap News Agency quoted KCNA as saying.
Kim also said he will “believe in the positive way of thinking of President Trump, wait with patience and in good faith and, together with the US, advance step by step toward the goal to be reached by the two countries”, according to the KCNA.
It was the North’s first report on Kim Yong-chol’s trip to Washington.
During the visit, the envoy met Trump at the White House and delivered a personal letter from the North’s leader. He also held talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Trump said after the meeting the two sides agreed to hold a second summit in late February, though the exact date and venue would be announced later.
The KCNA, however, made no mention of the agreement to hold a summit next month.
The White House also confirmed on Wednesday that President Trump had sent the letter.
Press secretary Sarah Sanders, in a short statement to reporters, said: “The President responded to Chairman Kim’s letter.”
The envoy’s trip came after a prolonged stalemate in denuclearization talks following Kim Jong-un and Trump’s historic summit in Singapore last June.
At the talks both sides agreed to work toward complete denuclearization in exchange for security guarantees for Pyongyang.