US President Donald Trump late on Friday said the United States was having "productive talks" about reinstating a Jun 12 summit in Singapore with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, just a day after he cancelled the meeting citing Pyongyang's "open hostility."
Trump indicated the summit could be salvaged after welcoming a conciliatory statement from North Korea saying it remained open to talks.
"We are having very productive talks about reinstating the Summit which, if it does happen, will likely remain in Singapore on the same date, June 12th., and, if necessary, will be extended beyond that date," Trump said in a Twitter post.
South Korea's presidential spokesman said in response: "We are cautiously optimistic that hope is still alive for US-North Korea dialogue. We are continuing to watch developments carefully."
Trump had earlier indicated the summit could be salvaged after welcoming a conciliatory statement from North Korea saying it remained open to talks.
"It was a very nice statement they put out," Trump told reporters at the White House. "We'll see what happens - it could even be the 12th.
"We're talking to them now. They very much want to do it. We'd like to do it."
After years of tension over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program, Kim and Trump agreed this month to hold what would be the first meeting between a serving US president and a North Korean leader. The plan followed months of war threats and insults between the leaders over North Korea's development of missiles capable of reaching the United States.
Trump scrapped the meeting, planned for Singapore, in a letter to Kim on Thursday after repeated threats by North Korea to pull out over what it saw as confrontational remarks by US officials demanding unilateral disarmament. Trump cited North Korean hostility in cancelling the summit.
In Pyongyang, North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan said North Korea's criticisms had been a reaction to American rhetoric and that current antagonism showed "the urgent necessity" for the summit.
He said North Korea regretted Trump's decision to cancel and remained open to resolving issues "regardless of ways, at any time."
Kim Kye Gwan said North Korea had appreciated Trump having made the bold decision to work toward a summit.
"We even inwardly hoped that what is called 'Trump formula' would help clear both sides of their worries and comply with the requirements of our side and would be a wise way of substantial effect for settling the issue," he said.
DIPLOMATS AT WORK
Trump's latest about-face sent officials scrambling in Washington. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters diplomats were "still at work" and said Trump had just sent a note out on the summit, which could be back on "if our diplomats can pull it off".
US State Department spokeswoman Katina Adams declined to give details of any diplomatic contacts but said: "As the president said in his letter to Chairman Kim, dialogue between the two is the only dialogue that matters. If North Korea is serious, then we look forward hearing from them at the highest levels."
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