Trump Speaks On Kim Summit, Says Date ‘Hasn’t Changed’

US President Donald Trump seemed to revive hopes for a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un next month, telling reporters at the Oval Office late Saturday, “we’re looking at June 12th in Singapore. That hasn’t changed.”

His remarks came as South Korean President Moon Jae-in delivered his first public comments since a surprise meeting with the North Korean leader on Saturday, saying Kim was still committed to denuclearization.

“What is unclear to Chairman Kim Jong Un is not the will for denuclearization, but the concern that if (North Korea) denuclearizes, whether the US can end hostile relations and guarantee the security of the (Kim) regime,” Moon said.

On Thursday, Trump abruptly canceled the highly-anticipated US-North Korea summit, scheduled for June 12, citing hostile comments from top North Korean officials and concern about the country’s commitment to giving up its nuclear weapons.

Moon said Sunday that practical talks will be held between the US and North Korea “very soon,” and the outcome of those talks will dictate if the June 12 summit will go ahead. He added that he expected the practical talks and summit to go “very smoothly.”

Trump said there was a “lot of goodwill” for the meeting. “A lot of people are working on it. It’s moving along very nicely.”

Experts were more skeptical however. CNN global affairs analyst Joseph Yun said a joint declaration of some sort on June 12 was far more likely, given the short time period to iron out differences before Trump and Kim sit down together.

“Let’s be realistic. These summits take months not weeks to prepare,” he said.

Many North Korea watchers have previously warned that things have been moving too fast, and urged Washington to hold more preparatory meetings in the run up to a formal summit.

China said it supports a meeting between Trump and Kim.

“We hope to see the summit take place as scheduled, and be held successfully to bring peace to the Peninsula and good news for the rest of the world,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told CNN.

This story was originally written by CNN