Trump says he’ll meet with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un at DMZ

President Trump will meet briefly with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Sunday at the Demilitarized Zone on the Korean peninsula.

Trump and South Korea President Moon Jae-in announced the meeting would occur during a joint statement at about 1 p.m. local time in Seoul. The meeting will likely be a quick handshake and greeting, Trump said.{mosads}

“We’re going to the DMZ border, and I’ll be meeting with Chairman Kim,” Trump said. “I look forward to it very much. I look forward to seeing him. We’ve developed a very good relationship.”

Moon said he will accompany Trump to the DMZ.

Trump had teased the potential meeting with Kim over the past 24 hours. 

After floating the potential meeting on Twitter, Trump said in various comments on Saturday that Kim was open to the possible meeting. But the president continued to play up the drama until the last minute, noting potential logistical challenges could prevent the engagement form taking place.

The president first publicly suggested the possibility of a brief greeting with Kim at the DMZ in a tweet Friday. 

In an exclusive interview with The Hill on Monday, Trump said he would be visiting the DMZ and that he “might” meet with Kim. The Hill delayed publishing news of the trip earlier in the week at the request of the White House, which cited security concerns about publicizing the president’s plans that far in advance.

Sunday’s meet-up could serve as an opportunity for Trump to reset his relationship with Kim after a second face-to-face summit earlier this year ended abruptly and without any progress on denuclearization.

The president has heaped praise on the North Korean strongman, and the two have exchanged letters in the months since the Vietnam talks broke down.

Moon Jae-in credited Trump for engaging North Korea on the matter of denuclearization, calling him “the maker of peace” on the peninsula.

“I hope that this meeting with Chairman Kim Jong Un at the Panmunjom will bring hope to the people of South and North Korea, and that it will be a milestone in the history of humankind toward peace,” Moon said through an interpreter.

The rendezvous also holds potential risks, as it offers Kim further recognition on the world stage. The North Korean leader has been accused of numerous human rights violations, and has not taken concrete steps to date to abandon his nuclear arsenal.