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Trump Declares a New Era of U.S.-North Korea Ties; Trump-Kim Summit: U.S. and North Korean Leaders Hold Historic Talks; Young South Koreans React To Trump-Kim Summit. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired June 12, 2018 - 02:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


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ANNA COREN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): You're watching CNN's special coverage of the historic Singapore summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong-un.

Hello and welcome. I'm Anna Coren, coming to you live in Seoul, South Korea.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): I'm John Vause in Los Angeles. It's just gone past 11 o'clock here on the West Coast. We would like to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world.

In the past few hours in Singapore, Donald Trump has done what no other sitting U.S. president would do, meeting one-on-one with the leader of North Korea, rewarding the brutal young dictator with the legitimacy on the world stage denied his father and grandfather.

And in return, President Trump is hoping for a place in history, maybe even a Nobel Peace Prize for the leader who began the process of ending the nuclear threat from a rogue regime.

There were smiles, handshakes and warm words when Trump and Kim first met, a stark contrast to the acrimonious G7 meeting with U.S. allies in Canada just days earlier.

To be sure, history has been made in Singapore. In just a few short months, the talk of fire and fury and pre-emptive strikes has been replaced with diplomacy and negotiation, a point not lost on Kim Jong- un.

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KIM JONG-UN, NORTH KOREAN LEADER: (Speaking foreign language).

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VAUSE: But there have been promises before by North Korea to end its nuclear program. Talk of peace proved to be a false dawn. Add to all of this uncertainty, these two leaders met one-on-one alone for more than 40 minutes, no staff, no note-takers, just interpreters. And chances are we'll never know what was said, what promises were made, concessions granted.

Even so, as they emerged from a working lunch, for what was the fifth photo op of the day, Donald Trump was effusive.

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DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Really fantastic meeting. A lot of progress. Better than anybody could have expected. Top of the line. Really good. We're going right now for a signing.

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VAUSE: And, Anna, after some confusion about exactly where they were going and r what they were doing, they eventually signed that agreement between these two countries -- Anna.

COREN: John, we're covering this historic day from all angles. Let's now go to Singapore, where CNN's Jeff Zeleny and Paula Hancocks are joining us. They've been following developments all day.

Jeff, if I can start with you, we just heard from the U.S. president, who said denuclearization will happen very, very quickly on the Korean Peninsula. Please, shed more light.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I mean, that was certainly a monumental statement but one that was also sufficiently vague, in terms of saying exactly what the denuclearization will even mean specifically and the time in which it will start.

But that was clearly a sign of a part of this, what really has been, you know, an incredible meeting in every regard.

What I was struck by was all the different photo opportunities and moments built throughout the morning and the lunch and the afternoon, to show this relationship, this bond, that apparently has been building between the president and the North Korean leader there.

But we're still left wondering exactly what the specifics are here in terms of the way forward. But there's no question, the president said this, he said our whole relationship with the Korean Peninsula will be very different than in the past.

So clearly stating a way forward. What we don't know is, if the U.S. made any concessions in terms of military forces on the peninsula or whatnot. But also struck by the fact that the president, President Trump, said he would absolutely invite Kim Jong-un to the White House, to Washington.

Unclear when that will happen as well. But that's an extraordinary outcome to come out of this first meeting, the first summit -- Anna.

COREN: Yes, extraordinary indeed.

Paula, for somebody who has lived here in South Korea for many years, you have been covering this story through every single detail. You lived through it last year when both leaders were hurling insults and threatening war.

Did you ever think this day would come?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Not really, Anna. You do --

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HANCOCKS: -- have to pinch yourself sometimes. When you think back just six months ago, when tensions were so high, that people were considering even leaving the peninsula.

It was getting extremely worrying. People thinking that the U.S. was seriously going to consider a military strike against North Korea. And here you have the North Korean leader, the U.S. president, spending time together, appearing, at least as far as we can tell, to build a relationship. It appears that they are getting on.

Now the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, will walk away from this with a huge victory. The very fact that he has been sitting side-by- side with the U.S. president, the fact, certainly to his people but also around the world, he's seen on a level with the U.S. president.

And just hearing what the North Korean leader was saying. Clearly, we weren't going to get those off-the-cuff remarks from Kim Jong-un that we had from Donald Trump. They're very thought-out remarks. Clearly he had decided beforehand the message he wanted to give across.

At the beginning of the morning, the beginning of the meeting, he had said it had taken a lot to get to this point. They had to clear a lot of obstacles. But they had managed to get to this point.

But then as he's sitting next to the U.S. president, signing that document, whatever it may say, he did say the world will see a major change. It was a historic moment, a historic document.

And one interesting thing as well, he said, I would like to express my gratitude to President Trump. If you had told me six months ago that the North Korean leader was going to say that while sitting next to the U.S. president, I would have said you were crazy. This is remarkable, what we're seeing today -- Anna.

COREN: Paula Hancocks and Jeff Zeleny, no doubt we will check in with you later on in the show but many thanks for that.

John, back to you.

VAUSE: Anna, thank you.

Joining us now from San Francisco, Philip Yun, the executive director of the Ploughshares Fund, which aims to prevent the spread and the use of nuclear weapons.

Good to see you, Philip. I want to start with those who were at the table, more specifically those who were not. No sign of Kim Kye Gwan. The website North Korea Leadership says he is well-known to external Pyongyang watchers as the country's chief nuclear negotiator as well as holding a leading role in managing the DPRK's interactions with the United States.

I could be reading too much into this but does that indicate he's simply not needed because Kim Jong-un is across all the technical details of the nuclear program?

Also no representative of the North Korean military. No Kwang-chol is a three-star general. He's in Singapore but, again, wasn't at the table, which seems a little unusual, given the military's powerful role.

PHILIP YUN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PLOUGHSHARES FUND: Yes, I think what it is, that Kim Jong-un wants to project a power, a sense of strength and knowledge of the issues.

I think my sense is, if this thing is actually -- we haven't seen the document yet. That's going to be critical.

But I do think that my sense is a lot of this had been worked out in detail in advance. And I know that Kim Kye Gwan was actually in Panmunjom, meeting with U.S. officials and others.

So I wouldn't read too much, the fact he is not there. I do think the fact that the military person was not there also seems to indicate Kim Jong-un wanting to say that he is very much in control and doesn't need those kinds of aides.

And I saw that to some degree when Kim Jung-il met with Madeleine Albright. There was a real effort for him just seeming like he is in control and command of the facts.

VAUSE: OK. Before the summit, the U.S. president tweeted this.

" The fact that I am having a meeting is a major loss for the U.S., say the haters & losers. We have our hostages, testing, research and all missle (sic) launches have stoped (sic), and these pundits, who have called me wrong from the beginning, have nothing else they can say! We will be fine!"

VAUSE: Spelling mistakes aside, it seems a little premature for Donald Trump to say it's all going to be fine. In fact, there is still much which could go wrong and horribly wrong.

YUN: No, no, I think that's absolutely right. As I said before, the path to success looks like this. We've already traveled this path a couple of times and we're repeating the same -- going over the same road right now.

This is what success is going to look like, if there is going to be a success. The critical point is this is the beginning of the process. It will be a long process. We'll just have to see what happens.

No one can say for sure what is going to happen moving forward. We haven't even seen the document to make any kind of determination, whether they really made a decision about what denuclearization means.

What is the timeline? What does that mean?

So there's a lot to go, to wait for. But this is a good first sign. The optics were good. It's always good to have this kind of rapport. We'll just have to -- it's all about the follow-up. And that's critical.

VAUSE: There was a lot of touching, a lot of feeling when these two leaders met, while shaking hands. Donald Trump grabbed Kim's upper arm. He placed his hand on his back, guided him into that meeting room. There were smiles. There were warm words.

I guess the closest comparison we have to this kind of --

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VAUSE: -- high-level meeting was from 2009, when former U.S. president Bill Clinton met with Kim Jong-un's father, Kim Jong-il. He was in Pyongyang to negotiate the freedom of two American reporters.

Throughout, Clinton maintained this dour expression. He never smiled. Admittedly, a very different situation.

But did President Trump send the right message here at that first meeting?

YUN: Well, I do think that the circumstances were very different in 2009. It was bringing back a couple of hostages. I think the better comparison may be actually in 2000.

I think the North Koreans themselves, they have to be thrilled and really pleased with the -- you know, for them, this is a big win. Kim Jong-un is now on the center stage. He has been courted, in certain ways, by the Chinese. The Russians want to meet him.

At some point I'm sure the Japanese will want to meet him. So his prestige and his status has been raised an incredible amount, generally by this whole diplomatic process, part of it because he's been very adept.

And now, he's meeting the American president. So he's going to be happy. I don't think there's any question about that. And I think for Donald Trump, I'll have to say he looked very much in control of this process. And certainly that's going to play well back home.

But again, the whole thing depends on what the substance of the actual agreement is. And we're just going to have to see what that actually says.

VAUSE: Very quickly, take a look at the front page of North Korea's main newspaper, a full-on color spread, photographs of Kim Jong-un walking around Singapore. It's a modern city with the kind of bright lights most North Koreans have never seen.

Is this another sign of the change to Kim Jong-un's image at home? He's on the international stage now, in some ways he seems to be heading towards more openness, which would seem to be hard to walk back at this point.

YUN: Yes, I think that's true. I think that there's a lot of symbolism with that handshake with Donald Trump. The United States has been the great Satan, the cause for all the North Koreans' suffering.

So even though Kim Jong-un is a dictatorship, he has got to signal to his people that things are going to change, even if he does -- it's like a big ship. You can't turn it on a dime. It has to happen very slowly.

And this is the beginning of that process, if it's going to happen. So I do think that there's great importance in the symbolism. So this is the start, again, of a process. Again, we could be right back where we were, knowing how North Korea is, where we were last year, where there were all these threats, more missile tests, more nuclear tests. We are just going to have to see what happens.

VAUSE: We're also getting word that Kim Jong-un's motorcade has now left Sentosa Island. I guess this is coming to an end of a very historic day.

Philip, thank you. Appreciate you --

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YUN: Thank you.

VAUSE: It's been a tumultuous few days for U.S. diplomacy, raising the question, just what is the Trump doctrine?

Keeping in mind it's only Monday. When we come back, the brutally blunt answer from one senior White House official.

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TRUMP: The letter we're signing is very comprehensive. I think both sides are going to be impressed with the result. A lot of goodwill went into this. A lot of preparation. I want to thank everybody involved. Secretary Pompeo and his counterparts, they were absolutely fantastic.

(END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: Welcome back, everybody. You're watching CNN. That's Donald Trump sitting side-by-side with Kim Jong-un after their historic meeting, a meeting which has never happened before between a sitting U.S. president and the leader of North Korea.

The two signed a declaration that both said signals a new era between their countries. Both men had praise for the other. President Trump called Kim "a worthy negotiator, very talented." Kim said it's time for the U.S. and North Korea to put their adversarial pasts behind them.

Joining me now, CNN political commentators Democratic strategist Dave Jacobson and Republican consultant John Thomas.

Good to see you both. I owe you a steak dinner and I intend to pay my bet. So let me know where you want to go.

JOHN THOMAS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Hey, great.

VAUSE: OK. But not too expensive, OK?

THOMAS: I'll collect.

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VAUSE: All right. One of the big demands for the North Koreans has been all that security guarantees. That's something which the U.S. seems more than happy to deliver. This is Pompeo, secretary of state.

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MIKE POMPEO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We're prepared to take what will be security assurances that are different, unique, than have been provided, that America has been willing to provide previously. We think this is both necessary and appropriate.

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VAUSE: So, John, unique security guarantees that no other administration has guaranteed before.

What does that actually look like?

How far is the Trump administration willing to go to keep Kim Jong-un in power?

Who are they willing to kill?

THOMAS: There's a lot of questions to answer here. The U.S. has been pretty consistent in saying they need real proof that, in fact, that the nuclear program has been dismantled.

I think there are going to be some sticking points related to that. And I'm hearing a lot on the cable news circuit, saying, what's the difference between the Iran nuclear deal, Republicans and Trump hated and a potential deal that they might be making with North Korea? Well, there are some big differences. First of all, giving them billions of dollars without getting a bunch of things in return, I don't think, is ever going to be on the table. There's preconditions that must be met.

VAUSE: I know we had the whole Iran nuclear deal (INAUDIBLE) because the billions of dollars were their money and they got nuclear inspectors in the country in return for it. And then he ripped up the nuclear agreement and the inspectors left. So (INAUDIBLE) these security guarantees, which, in and of themselves, seem extraordinary. (INAUDIBLE) but I just want to get on to this particular deal and what the U.S. is actually put on the table.

DAVE JACOBSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: But I don't think we've put anything on the table. I think it's all in the abstract.

Like what does that mean tangibly?

Does that mean denuclearization as North Korea defines it, which is perhaps the U.S. takes nukes out of the Korean Peninsula?

Or does it mean something else?

We haven't seen any concrete specifics. It that's the real challenge here is we're just talking --

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JACOBSON: -- in the abstract at the 30,000 feet level but there's no detail.

THOMAS: I think what Trump was able to do today was play the good cop to Pompeo's bad cop. He's able to basically say, we're going to agree to agree that we, you, it's in your best interest to remove the --

VAUSE: We have a common goal.

THOMAS: Correct. And that's a big deal itself. The devil will be in the details.

VAUSE: There's a piece in "The Atlantic" by Jeffrey Goldberg. He tries to get an answer to what exactly is the Trump doctrine, which is especially relevant over the last couple of days. He spoke with a number of White House and government officials.

One described it like this, "No friends, no enemies."

Another said this, "Permanent destabilization creates American advantage."

But here's the clincher. Goldberg writes about a conversation with a senior White House official.

"I was talking to this person several weeks ago and I said, by way of introduction, that I thought it might perhaps be too early to discern a definitive Trump doctrine. "'No,' the official said. 'There's definitely a Trump doctrine.'

"What is it?" I asked.

"Here is the answer I received.

"'The Trump doctrine is "We're America, bitch." That's the Trump doctrine.'"

So apologies for using the word and apologies for all the misogyny that comes with it and the implications of domestic abuse. But put that to one side (INAUDIBLE) conversation.

John, this is essentially the Trump administration saying it's our way or it's the highway, we're going it alone. Like it or leave it.

THOMAS: That's a crass way to define the fact that America is the leading superpower in the world and that we're going to stand tall and not be bullied around. And that's what you're seeing with Trump in Canada. That's what you're seeing with Trump and North Korea, when the talks fell apart. And Trump said, fine. I would like to meet with you but only on the right terms.

Trump won't be bullied around and we're coming off of eight years, Dave, of Obama, who was seen as weak by a lot of leaders because he was so quick to agree.

THOMAS: Donald Trump is coming off as a bully with our allies. Obama was never perceived as a tough guy standing up to our closest ally and neighbor, which is Canada, which has fought in every modern war with our country for the last several decades.

The fact of the matter is, Donald Trump has sown the seeds of chaos across the globe. He's hugging dictators like Vladimir Putin, who is a murderer and a thug, as John McCain called him, and Kim Jong-un.

At the same time, he's alienating Mexico and the European leaders, who are our closest allies around the globe. And at the same time those folks are cutting deals with China because Donald Trump won't work with them.

VAUSE: And here's a reminder of Kim Jong-un and his record on human rights. There was a report that came out in 2014 by the U.N. which found that Kim could actually face crimes against humanity.

The report found that Kim's regime engaged in torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including inhuman conditions or detention, rape, public executions, extrajudicial and arbitrary detention, the absence of due process and the rule of law, including fair trail guarantees and an independent judiciary, extrajudicial summary and arbitrary executions, the imposition of a death penalty for political and religious reasons, collective punishments extending up to three generations and the extensive use of forced labor.

And you know, John, not a word about human rights in this summit from this administration. And on top of that, the U.S. president is now saying that Kim Jong-un will absolutely be invited to the White House.

THOMAS: There's no question that Kim Jong-un is a bad guy and that he's committed atrocities that are unforgivable. But he also has nuclear weapons and could start nuclear war. He also -- we've been running, what, nuclear drills in Guam and other places because past administrations have been kicking the can down the road and not dealing with this giant issue. This is the number one issue, is getting rid of the nukes and then we can look at other things.

VAUSE: Dave, what does it say about American values and what does it say to other dictators around the world, get nuclear weapons and you get a deal with the United States?

JACOBSON: That's precisely the signal that we're sending. I think I agree with some of the elements, John, that you highlighted that we've got to grapple with and try to denuclearize North Korea.

The issue is, you've got a U.S. citizen, Otto Warmbier, who came back after being tortured by the North Koreans --

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VAUSE: A year ago today.

JACOBSON: -- a year ago today, and essentially murdered. And now, his parents are suing North Korea. Not one word from Donald Trump. And the fact of the matter is, Kim Jong-un doesn't just do this to Americans. He's done this to his own uncle, to his half-brother.

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THOMAS: I think the challenge, though, with Donald Trump is he doesn't want to kill the deal over something while he's focusing on the big target right now.

JACOBSON: It's a function of tone, though, when you're dealing with a cold-blooded murderer who kills his own family --

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THOMAS: But we were arguing about his tone via Twitter a couple of months ago and now look where we are.

VAUSE: OK. Let's go back a decade or so because the idea of a U.S. president sitting down and holding a summit or negotiations with a dictator like Kim Jong-un was like holy water to the devil for conservatives and Republicans. Take a look back now, courtesy of the folks over at Now This.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would you, as president, meet with the leaders of a country like North Korea?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obama extraordinarily said, I would meet with him.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Senator Obama made his intentions crystal clear on the campaign trail.

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I will meet not just with our friends but with our enemies.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President Obama --

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- likes talking to dictators.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He would meet with some of these madmen without preconditions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to reach out to these crazy people around the world and try to get things done.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that's a mistake.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Obama is bowing and scraping before dictators.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How about this, the fact that all he wants is to get them back to the table --

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- not -- if you give up nuclear weapons, then we'll talk.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why would the administration think that this is a group they can do business with?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, I have no idea.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Those who hate us will always hate us. The hatred for America is never going to go away.

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VAUSE: It goes on and on and on. But fast forward 10 years. We have a President Trump in the White House, not a President Obama. And, hey, it's a triumph of foreign policy and diplomacy.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A remarkable turnaround in relations between two historic adversaries.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The commander in chief's leadership is now leading to a major foreign policy breakthrough.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Another stunning Donald Trump breakthrough.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President Trump, scoring a big win.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's time to celebrate a great victory when it happens. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: President Trump proves the experts wrong again and scores a stunning diplomatic triumph.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a defense win for the president.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a huge win for this country. It's breathtaking. It's audacious, it's bold. It will be historic.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE). It will be magnificent for the people of Korea.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) the world.

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VAUSE: We're almost out of time. You're pointing out the FOX News and the inconsistency. That's fun but not that's the point here.

I'm wondering, John and Dave, is one of the biggest achievements of Donald Trump actually winning over the Right and conservatives away from military action to diplomacy?

THOMAS: Well, there's a complaint difference between Barack Obama and George W. Bush and Bill Clinton and Donald Trump is that their single objective was to get to the table and make a deal, no matter what. They just need to make a deal, where we see with Donald Trump in things like in the G7, where, if he doesn't get the right deal, he's walking away.

VAUSE: OK, Dave?

JACOBSON: Donald Trump tweeted on April 15th that, essentially, he achieved denuclearization. We haven't seen that yet. So that's the big open question. The hypocrisy is beyond the pale, is extraordinary.

VAUSE: It's not the first time we've seen it. I'm sure it won't be the last. Dave and John, thank you both.

Greeted like a rock star.

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VAUSE (voice-over): Kim Jong-un has gone from holding Asia at the brink of nuclear war to being welcomed with cheers in Singapore. More coverage and reaction from Seoul and Beijing, still to come.

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[02:31:01] ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN Special Coverage of the Trump-Kim Summit in Singapore. I'm Anna Coren coming to you live in Seoul.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: I'm John Vause live in Los Angeles. It's just gone 11:31 here on the West Coast. For the first time ever, a sitting U.S. president has met with the leader of North Korea. They came face to face on Singapore's Sentosa Island, warm handshake, some smiles, a few pats on the back from President Trump. It was all very friendly at first then some warm words before heading behind closed doors with only their interpreters with them. Now, of course, the big question is simple this, where does all of this go from here? Anna.

COREN: Thank you, John. Well, let's now go live to Singapore where our Manisha Tank has been following Kim Jong-un as well as Donald Trump. Manisha, I believe you are at Sentosa Island where Kim Jong-un has left. He's now back at the St. Regis presumably packing his bag. He's getting ready to head to the airport. Tell us about the steps that he has received whilst being in Singapore.

MANISHA TANK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's absolutely remarkable, Anna. You wouldn't believe the things that people used to say about Kim Jong-un. Now, we have President Donald Trump referring to him as Chairman Kim, no nosy names sort of thing like that. And here in Singapore, he was even doing a tour of the city last night during that talk. People were screaming at him as if he were a rock star, taking pictures. He himself taking selfies with the Foreign Minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, and those were being posted on Twitter with so many comments coming back on Twitter about how cool this was, how cute this was one of the comments I saw. It really is quite remarkable could we ever have seen anything like this 12 months, oh, what a changed. But you're sitting in Seoul where much of the work has been done of course.

President Moon, so instrumental in kicking off this process with his commitment to seeing a peace, his commitment to seeing denuclearization and that's really where all these started on April 27th. But here we are like you say in Singapore and we've seen amazing footage come to light today particularly with President Donald Trump, the way that meeting proceeded this morning. We were all watching history unfold in front of our eyes and that is what the people here in Singapore has been seeing as well. We've seen people crowding the pavement getting up high so that they can see those motorcades come by and I was going to use the word spectacular because isn't something we see here very often. Streams of police motor bikes and then stretch limousine, the roads cordoned off. It really is quite something, Anna.

COREN: From Donald Trump over the past few hours, he is expected to hold a press conference very soon. But he recently said that he considers that he now has a special bond with Kim Jong-un and then that it was an honor to be with him. I mean language that you can't imagine a U.S. president having said to a North Korean leader. Let's say last year during the threats and the insults that hold between them. But there are many experts feeling that Kim Jong-un has won. That he is the winner out of today's summit. So what's your take?

TANK: Yes. I mean you just have to look at the pictures. You can look at the footage and you see it clearly. Six North Korean flags alongside six American flags. It really is remarkable. This suggests parity and her in Asia, here in Singapore right throughout this region this kind of symbolism is so important. Right down to us in our editorial team having so many intense discussions about the significance of Kim Jong-understand even arriving in Singapore on an Air China flight and the symbolism and what this means. This has been so scrutinized from every single angle. We've look at handshakes. We've look at whether or not these leaders have smiled. But now, look, we're going to look and see if the proof is in the footing. What we all want to get our hands on this that statement that's going to come out right before this press conference that Donald Trump has talked about. We are just waiting for that next, Anna.

COREN: Yes, certainly are. Manisha Tank joining us from Singapore. Many thanks to that. John, back to you.

[02:35:] VAUSE: Anna, we are getting some indication of what actually is in that joint statement. It's coming out now. Keep up of the text. President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong-un conduct a comprehensive in-depth and sincere exchange of opinions on issues ready to the establishment of U.S.-DPRK relations and the building of a robust peace regime. Here comes President Trump committed to provide security guarantee to the DPRK, Chairman Kim Jong-un reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to a complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. What also it seems to be key here is though -- is the U.S. and North Korea have committed to work to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. So there -- there's a little bit (INAUDIBLE) work towards it.

There's no commitment to make it happen. But of course, you know, it's still early as they move forward with this process which is pretty much what everyone had expected that there would be some kind of framework here, some kind of way that they could move towards the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, so a very broad outline. At least something is now down in writing which both men have signed. But at this summit, there was no invitation for China, North Korea's closest ally. Some analyst say that is in fact the elephant in the room and the historic meeting would not have happened without Beijing's backing.

China is North Korea's largest trading partner and Washington's most powerful and strategic rival. But as the summit unfolds Beijing is finding itself in a position it's not used to. It's on the outside looking in. Let's go to the outside right now. Matt Rivers live in Beijing. Matt, one of the issues during these negotiations is the future of 28,000 U.S. troops on the Korean Peninsula. If those troops were in fact withdrawn which maybe the case if there are some kind of peace between North and South, that would a gift to China.

MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That would be absolutely met with welcome arms -- open arms here in Beijing, John. You know, when we talk about security guarantees as you just read there where we're getting some indication of what's in that statement, you know, when the United States says there could be security guarantees for the Kim Jong-un regime, well, does that include the possible removal or reduction in the troop size that the U.S. forces have on the Korean Peninsula? And that is the kind of strategic interest that China would very much like to push towards happening in terms of what are China's goals out of this kind of summit? Well, what they want is that the North Koreans are going to give something up.

They want the other side, the United States and the South Koreans to give up something as well. That could also be in the Chinese interest and China has longed feared the troops on the Korean Peninsula, not only the troops there frankly but also the tens of thousands of U.S. troops stationed in Japan. It's been a thorn in China's side for decades now and so if for example there could be a reduction in the troop level, the removal in totality of the troops on the Korean Peninsula by the United States, China would be thrilled to see that kind of language.

VAUSE: OK. Matt, thank you. Matt Rivers live for us there in Beijing. A little more information about this (INAUDIBLE) the two leaders have pledged to hold follow-up negotiations lead by the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and relevant high level DPRK officials at the earliest possible day to implement the outcomes of the summit. And apparently both their signatures on this document the two leaders say they're committed to cooperate for the development of new U.S.- DRPK relations and the promotion of peace, prosperity, and security of the Korean Peninsula and of the world. Lots to think about that. We'll take a short break. When we come back, Dennis Rodman, the former basketball star as peace ambassador? He says, President Obama gave him the brush off over North Korea, but President Trump did not. He talks about that to CNN next.

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[02:42:04] COREN: Welcome back. Well, it was a handshake many thought they would never see. U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un warmly greeting each other in Singapore before they began discussions at the historic summit which began almost six hours ago will then they met for a working lunch. The two leaders emerged from that lunch side by side and apparently took a looked at President Trump's Cadillac. Well, former NBA basketball star Dennis Rodman who is in Singapore is friends with both Mr. Trump and Kim Jong-Un. He spoke earlier to CNN. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DENNIS RODMAN, RETIRED BASKETBALL PLAYER: Obama didn't even given me the time of day. I asked him, I said, I have something to say from North Korea. He just brushed me off. But that didn't deter me. I still kept going back. I kept going back. I kept going back. I showed my loyalty and my trustworthy to this country and I said to everybody. I said, the door will open. When I went back home, I got so many death threats. I got so many death threats when I was trying to protecting everything. And I believe in North Korea.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: A very emotional Dennis Rodman there. Well, joining us now from San Francisco is Paul Carroll, he's the senior advisor of N Square, a group committed to nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation. Paul, when we spoke yesterday, we were less than 24 hours from that historic handshake. It has happened. And now, we have that key text of that joint communique. Donald Trump giving a commitment to provide security guarantees to Kim and his regime with Kim Jong-un reaffirming he's firm unwavering commitment to complete denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. What's your take?

PAUL CARROLL, SENIOR ADVISOR, N SQUARE: Well, I'm encouraged I have to say. I think that we have seen the weeding. It was a big party. There was a lot of pomp and circumstance, a lot of photography, fantastic. You know, I certainly am also somewhat sympathetic to the fact that we had the United States flag on co-equal footing with the North Korean flag which is something, you know, that they have longed for as many have said on the show and other news outlets for a long, long time. So, yes, the North got something from today. They got an era of legitimacy. They got have to sit at the table with the big boys. They are in the nuclear club. But that was signed today and we saw and not seen all the details if it does in fact layout a tempo of engagement. To me, that's what's incredibly important because if today was the weeding, now, we're in the marriage. Right now we have to work at a year's long process and have some stomach or some setbacks and disappointment but continue with the relationship to really -- denuclearization. That is a long road ahead.

[02:45:00] And I'm encouraged by what I saw today, but let's all wake up tomorrow and see what we think.

COREN: And as we know, for some marriages that are very hard work, I spoke to Ambassador Thae Yong-ho, early today. He's one of the highest-profile North Korean defectors. And he's -- in his opinion, Kim Jong-un won. He wanted the legitimacy, he wanted to be taken seriously, he wanted to be considered an equal, and this has cemented his leadership back home. Do you think that's a fair assessment?

CARROLL: Well if we're going to put it in terms of a contest, I would say -- you know, this may be a seven-game series. And for the time being, I think, Kim Jong-un has shown himself as a very shrewd operator. He's been from a long line of operators.

North Korea as a regime has always played a weak hand and very well. Well, the past 12 months, their hand has strengthened just quite a bit and they still have the skill and the -- and the deafness to drive wedges in between allies to play China off against the United States.

And so, yes, I think it's fair to say, if you're keeping score at home based on the last 24 hours, Kim Jong-un, got more out of today than Donald Trump.

Now, what's important to keep in focus though is this isn't about these two gentlemen, this is about the security of the region of the United States, of the Japanese of the Chinese, the South Koreans, and North Koreans.

And so, let's not lose that by keeping score too much in these episodic meetings. We need to keep -- you know the seven-game series clearly in view.

COREN: Paul, if I can just ask you a one last question. And now that Kim Jong-un has engaged in these salts, is a feeling there's no going back. Would you agree with that? CARROLL: I would not necessarily agree with that. The United States has used this phrase CVID. CVID, a complete, verifiable, irreversible dismantlement. It's now morphed into denuclearization but originally meant dismantlement.

There's -- there is no such thing as irreversibility. The test site that was blown up, the sort of reminiscent of 10 years ago when the North Koreans exploded a cooling tower, they can rebuild things. And so, while we have to have some tolerance for wrinkles, if things go really sideways, there is really nothing to stop the North Koreans from saying, "You know what, we're going to keep testing missiles and keep testing the bombs until we get even better fit.

So, I'm -- like I said, encouraged but the devils in the details and time will tell.

COREN: Well, Carroll, as always, great to get your analysis, many thanks for joining us. Well, still -- please stay with us here at CNN for our special coverage of the Singapore summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un.

After the break, we speak to a South Korean who went looking at this picture they find it harder to process.

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[02:50:15] ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: This is CNN "WEATHER WATCH", I'm Meteorologist Allison Chinchar. The threat for flooding is still a big concern across areas of the Ohio Valley, stretching down into the Southeastern United States.

They have had days and days of rain over these areas and that is what is triggering the flooding concern for several locations. As we push into the day, Tuesday, again notice portions of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, stretching all the way down towards Florida, Georgia, and Alabama looking at more showers and thunderstorms in the forecast.

Here is the thing, widespread amounts not expected to be that high. Basically, about 50 to up to around 100 millimeters of rain. But you have to understand, for some of these cities especially across the Mid-Atlantic, they have already had 100 to 200 millimeters of rain over the last three to five days. So, even something as simple as 50 millimeters of additional rain could be enough to exacerbate any flooding concerns that are already there.

As far as the forecast cloudy skies continue for Chicago high temperatures 28 showers and thunderstorms across areas of Atlanta, keep that in mind if you have any travel plans there that there may be some delays at the airport. High temperature there right around 28 degrees.

Similar shower and thunderstorm chances across Miami with a high temperature of 30, we're looking at sunshine in New York with temperatures right around 23 degrees.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COREN: Welcome back. Well, this certainly is a historic day, just over three months in the making. The meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un was on, off and then, on again. And those working behind the scenes weren't even sure it was going to happen. Let's now take a look at some of the memorable moments.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There you see Kim Jong-un's motorcade you're getting a really good image.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is him getting out of the car? Yes, indeed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Driving -- you know that vehicle. That holds the President of the United States.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of eyes on this stage right here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And here are the two gentlemen, let's watch the moment.

And just like that history has been made. We saw the handshake now, a second moment.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's my honor and we will have a terrific relationship.

KIM JONG-UN, SUPREME LEADER OF NORTH KOREA: It's not been easy to come to this point.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a moment that many thought would never happen in our lifetime.

TRUMP: Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you --

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: Well, joining me now, the next generation of South Koreans who may enjoy denuclearization if that is what is ahead for the Korean Peninsula. These are some University students, and I want to ask them, Chris, how did you feel when you saw that handshaking?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was very happy that we finally had the summit between the U.S. and North Korea which is very pivotal for ensuring the stability, the Northeast Asian region, and the Korean Peninsula.

But at the same time, I'm a bit worried that the denuclearization process, if it's not swift, it could go back to how history shows us when Geneva -- the Geneva agreement was also canceled later. So, I think it's ensuring and actively engaging and is really important.

COREN: Sojeong, did he give you hope?

LEE SOJEONG, UNIVERSITY STUDENT, SOUTH KOREA: I -- actually, I would be a little bit pessimistic because there were several cases in the past. But completely, it depends on how progresses the (INAUDIBLE) is the 80 process.

So, I hope of the through this summit, it can be real place of declaration of the end of the Korean War and the denuclearization of the North Korea.

COREN: We can hope to see some sort of formal peace treaty signed today. Obviously, that didn't happen but sooner if I can ask you, do you think you're staging denuclearization in your lifetime?

KIM SOO-MA, UNIVERSITY STUDENT, SOUTH KOREA: Yes, I am pretty optimistic that Kim Jong-un knows that support of U.S. is vital for his maintain of his rhythm. So, I'm sure he is going to have his promise. And in my life, I'm pretty sure that I will see the denuclearization for the world peace.

COREN: And Yun, if I can ask you, do you think that Kim Jong-un can be trusted?

[02:55:04] JO YOON JEONG, UNIVERSITY STUDENT, SOUTH KOREA: I want to say, I hope he is. How far I think, but from what I've seen so far, it seems that he wants to take a place in their entire regime as a leader. And he's been making efforts to make people believe him. So, I'm not -- I don't think we're at necessarily out of stage where we can say for sure that we can trust him, but we're on the stage of building up trust, and eventually, maybe we will be able to.

COREN: And when you go in away when you saw that moment. Those two leaders who were declaring war on each other-- you know just last year, shaking hand, touching each other, smiling.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was close quite surprising.

COREN: Surreal?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it was really impressive. Really impressive.

COREN: Well, let's hope that this is the start of good things to come for you, your families and your country. Many thanks for joining us. Well, thank you for joining us on this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. John, back to you.

VAUSE: Anna, thank you. You've been watching our coverage here of this summit in Singapore. For our viewers in the United States, our special coverage continues with early start, that's next. For everyone else, stay with us. Anna and I will be back after a short break.

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