Looking forward to productive summit: Trump on 2nd US, N Korea meet

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are en route to Hanoi, Vietnam, to hold a second summit which aims to make further progress in commitments made by both the countries at last year's Singapore summit, including achieving complete denuclearisation for the reclusive state.

"Heading over to Vietnam for my meeting with Kim Jong Un. Looking forward to a very productive Summit!" Trump tweeted on Monday (local time).

Kim had already embarked for the impending two-day summit on February 23, 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.

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.