Kim reaches Vietnam, receives red carpet welcome

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who reached Vietnam on Tuesday morning in his Green train, received red carpet welcome ahead of Hanoi Summit.

According to the CNN, Kim arrived Tuesday to a red carpet welcome at 8:15 am Dong Dang railway station in Vietnam's Lang Song province.

Kim greeted people and media persons standing outside the railway station with waves and smiles. Amid the heavy security, the Vietnamese officials received him warmly. Kim then got into a car to cover the remaining 100 miles to Hanoi.

The North Korea leader had embarked on the two-and-half day journey, choosing to undertake a 60-hour-long train journey to the border city of Dang Dong in Vietnam which will be followed by a car ride to Hanoi.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump is en route to Hanoi, Vietnam. Trump's Air Force One is scheduled to arrive Hanoi on Tuesday night.

Most of the details of the much-anticipated meeting are still uncertain. Trump and Kim are expected to address a joint press conference after the eagerly awaited second summit, slated to be held on February 27 and 28 - unlike last year's Singapore summit where Trump held a solo presser after the meet.

The process of denuclearisation had hit a roadblock following the first summit over ease of sanctions, where North Korea demanded a sanctions relief in recognition of the steps that it took towards denuclearisation, including the dismantling of a nuclear testing site, Punggye-ri, in May 2018.

The United States has reinforced that sanctions would only be eased once full denuclearisation is achieved by Pyongyang - a stand which the United States has still stuck to even with the second summit drawing near.

According to North Korean state media, several senior officials are accompanying Kim to the summit, including his sister Kim Yo-jong and top aide Kim Yong-chol.

The White House had earlier released a statement on the high-stakes summit, which lauded Trump's achievements with regard to improvement in relations with Pyongyang while outlining the "maximum pressure campaign" implemented by Trump to achieve "real progress" on North Korea.