June 10 (UPI) — U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un flew into Singapore at separate airports Sunday, two days ahead of their planned historic summit.
Trump disembarked from Air Force One at Singapore’s Paya Lebar Air Base at 8:21 p.m. local time after a 10-hour flight from Quebec, Canada.
He told reporters that he feels “very good” about the prospects.
But Trump appeared to warn Kim that the summit is a “one-time opportunity.”
“We have a chance to achieve a truly wonderful result for North Korea and the World,” Trump posted on Twitter en route Singapore from Quebec, Canada, where he attended the G-7 summit. “It will certainly be an exciting day and I know that Kim Jong-un will work very hard to do something that has rarely been done before.”
He added in a second tweet: “Create peace and great prosperity for his land. I look forward to meeting him and have a feeling that this one-time opportunity will not be wasted!”
Trump has offered to reduce economic sanctions on North Korea in exchange for denuclearization.
Five hours earlier, Kim arrived on a Boeing 747 Air China plane at 2:40 p.m. at Changi Airport after a 6-hour flight.
A motorcade including limousines believed to be carrying Kim was spotted leaving the airport. Police had blocked roads outside Changi’s VIP complex hours before the North Korean leader’s arrival. Security vehicles escorted Kim to the St. Regis Hotel, where he will be staying during the rare trip.
Singapore’s foreign ministry confirmed Kim’s arrival in a statement to local media, saying he was welcomed by Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, the news report said.
Kim then met with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Pyongyang, dispatched three different flights in one day in an apparent attempt to divert attention and keep Kim’s travel discreet for security reasons. It sent a cargo plane at dawn, followed by a Chinese jet and then his private plane.
Since becoming the leader in 2011, Kim previously took one known overseas trip by air – to Dalian in China in early May. He flew in his personal Ilyushin-62M jet and accompanied by a cargo plane.
Kim will likely spend the remaining days at the hotel focusing on last-minute preparations with his top officials for Tuesday’s summit.
