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Following is the chronology of key events leading to a historic summit today between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un:
March 7, 2017 President Trump says the nuclear threat from North Korea has entered a “new phase”, a day after Pyongyang test-launched four ballistic missiles towards Japan.
April 26, 2017 The Trump administration briefs US Congress on its North Korea policy and releases a statement that calls for increasing sanctions pressure on North Korea and working with allies and regional partners on diplomacy.
April 27, 2017 Trump warns that a “major major” conflict with North Korea, and said that he is seeking a diplomatic solution to the issue.
May 24, 2017 Trump refers to Kim as a “madman with nuclear weapons” who could not be let to run loose.
June 1, 2017 The US imposes sanctions on individuals and entities linked to North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes.
July 4, 2017 Pyongyang test fires a long-range missile into the Sea of Japan, with some experts stating the missile could potentially reach Alaska, a US state located in the northwest extremity of North America.
August 9, 2017 Tension rises as North Korean threatens to fire ballistic missiles near US Pacific territory of Guam.
September 19, 2017 In his first address to the UN General Assembly, President Trump threatens to “totally destroy North Korea.”
September 21, 2017 President Trump issues an executive order imposing additional sanctions on entities that facilitate financial transactions and trade with North Korea.
September 21, 2017 Kim responds to Trump’s UN speech with an unprecedented statement under his own name, calling Trump’s behaviour “mentally deranged” and asserting that “a frightened dog barks louder.”
November 20, 2017 President Trump officially designates North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism.
December 22, 2017 The UN Security Council unanimously adopts Resolution 2397, imposing additional sanctions on North Korea, including cutting refined petroleum imports by nearly 90 per cent.
January 1, 2018 Kim announces in his annual New Year address that North Korea’s nuclear forces are “capable of thwarting and countering any nuclear threats from the United States”
February 23, 2018 President Trump announces new sanctions against North Korea, targeting the country’s shipping, trading companies and vessels.
March 8, 2018 The United States and North Korea announce that their leaders plan to meet before June to discuss nuclear disarmament on the Korean peninsula.
March 25, 2018 Kim makes first visit to China to meet President Xi Jinping.
May 8, 2018 Kim makes second visit to China to meet President Xi.
May 8, 2018 Secretary of State Mike Pompeo travels to North Korea to meet Kim in preparation for the US-North Korean summit.
May 9, 2018 North Korea releases three American detainees as a goodwill gesture ahead of a possible summit between Trump and Kim.
May 10, 2018 President Trump announces he will meet Kim Jong-un on June 12 in Singapore to discuss the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.
May 15, 2018 North Korea cancels talks with South Korea scheduled for the next day and threatened to cancel the Trump-Kim summit, citing discontent with US-South Korean joint military drills.
May 24, 2018 North Korea reports that it destroyed its nuclear testing site at Punggye-ri.
May 24, 2018 In a letter to Kim, Trump cancels the US-North Korean summit scheduled for June 12, citing “tremendous anger and hostility” displayed by Pyongyang.
May 25, 2018 In response to Trump’s letter, Kim Kye Gwan, North Korean first minister of foreign affairs, states that North Korea “has the intent to sit with the US side regardless of ways at any time”.
June 1, 2018 President Trump takes a U-turn and confirms that he would meet Kim for a historic summit in Singapore on June 12 and that it will be the beginning of a “process.”
June 10, 2018 Trump and Kim arrives in Singapore for the first meeting between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader.
June 11, 2018 Mike Pompeo says US is offering “unique” security guarantees to North Korea in return for a “complete, verifiable and irreversible” denuclearisation.
June 12, 2018 President Trump and North Korean leader Kim meets for a historic face-to-face summit.
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