US offers 'unique' security guarantees to North Korea if it accepts complete denuclearisation

The US today offered "unique" security guarantees to North Korea if it accepts a "complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement" of its nuclear programme as the two sides prepared for a historic summit between President Donald Trump and Chairman Kim Jong-un.

Addressing a press conference on the eve of Trump-Kim historic summit at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that preparatory talks were advancing more quickly than expected.

Pompeo offered 'unique' security guarantees to North Korea if it accepts denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

"The complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear programme is the only outcome the United States will accept," he said.

"We will take actions to provide them sufficient certainty that they can be comfortable that denuclearisation is not something that ends badly for them," Pompeo said.

The Secretary of State said North Korea has unprecedented opportunity to change the trajectory of its relationship with the US as he promised economic opportunities post denuclearisation.

He said previous American administrations have been fooled by North Korea but the Trump Administration has got experts on non-proliferation and Weapons of Mass Destruction on the ground to verify Pyongyang's willingness to denuclearise.