25 May,2018 08:34 AM IST | Washington | Agencies
North Korea carried out the demolition of its nuclear test site in the presence of foreign journalists yesterday. Pic/AP
US President Donald Trump on Thursday called off a planned summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, even after North Korea followed through on a pledge to blow up tunnels at its nuclear test site.
Referring to a scheduled June 12 meeting with Kim in Singapore, Trump said in a letter to the North Korean leader: "Sadly, based on the tremendous anger and open hostility displayed in your most recent statement, I feel it would be inappropriate, at this time, to have this long- planned meeting."
Trump called it "a missed opportunity" and said someday he still hoped to meet Kim. The White House shared a copy of the letter from Trump on Twitter. Earlier, North Korea had repeated a threat to pull out of the summit and warned it was prepared for a nuclear showdown with US if necessary. Trump's announcement came just hours after North Korea said it had dismantled tunnels at its only nuclear test site in a move witnessed by foreign reporters.
