After 'secret' China-visit, Kim Jong-un undertakes mysterious trip to Singapore
What's the story
Talk about security. North Korean leader Kim Jong un headed off for his much-awaited meet with US President Donald Trump in Singapore in the quietest way possible. While departing, he left in a flight headed to Beijing, and then changed direction midway. The more than 20 cars in his convoy in Singapore had tinted windows. Not even the Singaporean PM is allowed this facility!
Meeting
Tuesday's will be a historic meeting
Kim's meeting with Trump scheduled for Tuesday will be the first between an NKorean leader and a sitting US president. The two leaders reached what Trump calls a "one-time shot" at peace after months of bickering. A planned meeting earlier this year even stood cancelled. The US is certain about what it wants: complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.
Air
Three aircraft took off from Pyongyang, Kim was in another
Not surprising then, that the NKoreans have taken their leader's security so seriously. Three flights, including Kim's personal jet, the "Chammae-1", left from Pyongyang for Singapore together. However, Kim was on an Air China Boeing 747, flight number CA122, a designation for Pyongyang-Beijing routes. In midair, it changed its number to CA061 and headed south towards Singapore.
Ground
His convoy was allowed to break protocol!
On the ground too, Kim maintained high security. His black Mercedes Benz stretch limousine came with tinted windows, a special exemption. At St Regis hotel, where he's staying, covers had been hung over the driveway, and the lobby's view blocked with additional potted plants. In fact, there has been no public sighting of Kim after he landed today, except three official-photos released by Singapore.
Do you know?
Not Kim's first foreign visit shrouded in secrecy
Kim is by now adept at hiding himself. In March, he made a two-day visit to China, which was confirmed only after he left Beijing on the same armored train that arrived in the Chinese capital suddenly and stirred intense speculation.
Costs
So who is paying for Kim this time?
Incidentally, Pyongyang is known for making others pay for their travel. This year, Seoul paid for its delegates to the Winter Olympics. However, both Seoul and the US have counted it out this time. Incidentally, Singapore is spending Sg$20mn to host the summit. But it has refused to reveal NKorea's hotel bill (suites at St Regis are estimated to cost $35,000 daily).