US President Donald Trump and leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong-un held an extensive discussion on the first day of the DPRK-USA Hanoi Summit Vietnam to reach “considerable progress”, reported the DPRK’s State news agency KCNA on February 28.

It said considerable progress made in the bilateral relations after the Singapore summit were highly appreciated, and sincere and deep opinions were exchanged with a view to making comprehensive and epoch-making results in the talks in order to meet the interest and expectation of the whole world for the successful Hanoi summit.

The talks began in Hanoi thanks to the ardent wishes, active efforts and extraordinary determination of the top DPRK and US leaders to end the evil cycle of confrontation and antagonism and keep pace with the era of peace and prosperity that has newly arrived, it said.

The news agency also ran stories on the speeches by the two leaders at the meeting, its time and venue only 8 hours after the leaders’ dinner.

Speaking to the media in Hanoi, President Trump expressed his hope that the second summit will be a success and stressed that he will not turn his back on the goal of denuclearisation.

Meanwhile, Chairman Kim said he overcame barriers to arrive at the summit and hoped that the meeting will be a success.

Since their first summit in Singapore in June 2018, inter-Korean economic relations have progressed but still meet obstacles due to international sanctions and the US’s unilateral ones.

Apart from the nuclear issue, the Hanoi summit is also hoped to open up a new opportunity to loosen sanctions and enable the DPRK economy to “take off”.