Trump hails 'productive' meeting between US, North Korean diplomats

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are set to meet for a second time on February 27 and 28 in Hanoi, Vietnam after diplomats successfully concluded preparatory meetings.

Trump tweeted that US diplomats had a "very productive meeting" with their North Korean counterparts, during which they agreed on the time and date of the summit.

The US's special representative for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, held three days of talks in Pyongyang to prepare for the summit, according to the State Department.

Biegun agreed with his North Korean counterpart Kim Hyok Chol to hold further talks ahead of the event, it added.

In Pyongyang, Mr Biegun met his North Korean counterpart Kim Hyok-chol and "discussed advancing President Trump and Chairman Kim's Singapore summit commitments of complete denuclearisation," said a US State Department statement.

The two envoys will meet again ahead of the much-anticipated summit at the end of the month.

On his return to South Korea, Mr Biegun briefed the country's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha.

"I am confident that if both sides stay committed, we can make real progress," he told reporters.

"We have some hard work to do with the DPRK [North Korea] between now and then," Mr Biegun added, looking ahead to the Hanoi summit.

President Trump tweeted that "North Korea, under the leadership of Kim Jong Un, will become a great Economic Powerhouse," something that, the president added, came as no surprise to him "because I have gotten to know him & fully understand how capable he is".

He ended his tweet: "I look forward to seeing Chairman Kim & advancing the cause of peace!"