Trump, Kim likely to hold joint press conference during Hanoi Summit

United States President Donald Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong-un are expected to address a joint press conference after the much-anticipated second summit between Washington and Pyongyang, reports Yonhap News Agency.

Notably, during the first summit in Singapore, the two leaders avoided the joint press conference instead Trump held a solo press conference.

Meanwhile, Kim, who is heading toward Hanoi on a train, has passed the Chinese central town of Wuhan.

"Signs were detected that Kim's special train was passing (Wuhan) early in the morning, such as the blocking of the Wuhan Changjiang Bridge," YNA quoted an anonymous source as saying.

The route that Kim will take is still unclear, however, as per the agency, it will be the shortest way of moving from Pyongyang to Vietnam.

The North Korean leader is accompanied by several senior officials including his sister Kim Yo-jong and aide Kim Yong-chol, Yonhap News Agency quoted North Korea's state media as saying.

The second summit, slated to be held in Hanoi on February 27 and 28, comes after the first landmark US-North Korea summit was held in Singapore in June last year.

North Korea had agreed to completely denuclearise during the first meeting - a move which was hailed as a major stride by the international community. However, ties between the United States and Pyongyang hit a roadblock over ease of sanctions, where North Korea sought relief in economic sanctions as recognition of the steps taken towards denuclearisation.

The United States has, until now, reinforced that relief in sanctions would only be given after North Korea carries out complete denuclearisation.

Both the sides aim at working towards the concretisation of steps for a peaceful Korean Peninsula, including complete denuclearisation, when Kim sits down with Trump in Hanoi this week.