North Korean officials head to US amid suggestions of second Trump/Kim summit

North Korean officials are heading to the US amid suggestions of a second summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un.

Kim Yong Chol, said to be North Korea’s lead negotiator in talks with the United States, was pictured at Beijing International Airport heading for Washington, where he is expected to meet counterpart Mike Pompeo and other US officials.

The meeting is thought to be a sign that the two countries are finalising plans for a second summit between their leaders.

Following their first summit in Singapore in June, Donald Trump said he had managed to get Kim Jong Un to agree to complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, but talks seem to have stalled since then, with critics saying the President had failed to get North Korea to agree any specifics.

According to CNN, Kim Yong Chol is expected to arrive in Washington on Thursday then meet Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US special representative to North Korea Steve Biegun on Friday.

It is not known if he will visit the White House.

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A White House spokesperson told CNN: “A lot of positive things are happening. He (Trump) and Chairman Kim have established a good relationship, and conversations between the United States and North Korea continue.

“We are working to make progress on our goal of achieving the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea, and the President looks forward to meeting Chairman Kim again at their second summit at a place and time yet to be determined.”