Trump says Kim to start denuclearize process 'right away'

09.44 PM  REUTERS: U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged today (June 12) to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula while Washington committed to providing security guarantees for its old enemy. The joint statement signed at the end of their historic summit in Singapore gave few details on how either goal would be achieved but Trump fleshed out some details at a news conference. Trump said he expected the denuclearization process to start "right away". U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and North Korean officials would hold follow-up negotiations "at the earliest possible date", the statement said. Trump told the news conference that the process would be verified and that the verification "will involve having a lot of people in North Korea". He also said Kim had told him North Korea was destroying a major engine-testing site used for missiles but maintained international sanctions on Pyongyang would stay in place for now. Trump added that the sanctions against North Korea ' will come off' once the U.S. is certain that the nuclear programs 'are no longer a factor'. 02.21 PM  US President Donald Trump is currently addressing the media from Singapore, following the historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Watch live: https://www.facebook.com/NewsfirstSL/videos/1981491038577811/ 12.00 PM Reuters - U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a “comprehensive” document on Tuesday following a historic summit in Singapore aimed at the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. There were no immediate details on the contents of the document but Trump said he expected the denuclearization process to start “very, very quickly”. Before signing what Trump described as a “comprehensive letter”, Kim said the two leaders had a historic meeting “and decided to leave the past behind. The world will see a major change.” Trump said he had formed a “very special bond” with Kim and that relationship with North Korea would be very different. “People are going to be very impressed and people are going to be very happy and we are going to take care of a very dangerous problem for the world,” Trump said. Asked whether he would invite Kim to the White House, Trump said: “Absolutely, I will.” 9.44 AM Although Trump and Kim appeared warm and pleasant before and after the meeting there was a specific question that was refused to be answered by the North Korean dictator. According to the White House Press pool, Kim was repeatedly asked about denuclearization to which he had smilingly said nothing. When asked if the North Korean dictator would give up his nuclear weapons, he and Trump simply walked away from the premises ignoring all questions that were fired at them. America's main goal for this summit was denuclearization of the North Korean peninsula. The White House press pool further stated that when Mr Trump was asked how the meeting went, he responded: “Very very good!” 9:25 AM The two leaders had a one-to-one meeting, with translators, which ran for 38 minutes before attending a  working lunch. According to reports, Kim is due to leave Singapore at 2 p.m. local time (06.00 GMT). Reports stated that it is unclear what could be expected out of the summit as it revealed that the negotiators were far from coming into an agreement that would mark a significant shift.  8:00 AM The historic meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un commenced in the grounds of a luxury hotel located in the Sentosa island; Singapore. In a show of goodwill, the two leaders shook hands in an extraordinary display of diplomacy between the two nations that have been at enemies for an extended period of time. Speaking to the media briefly before beginning their talks aimed at denuclearizing the Korean peninsula, Trump said,  "I feel really great. We're going to have a great discussion and will be tremendously successful," the US president said. The reclusive Noth Korean leader meanwhile said that "It was not easy to get here....There were obstacles but we overcame them to be here,"

 News1st Chathuranga Happuarachchi is in Singapore to cover the proceedings of the summit for News1st.