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A10 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 5 June 2018
At Trump-Kim summit, don't expect NKorea to foot the bill

By ERIC TALMADGE U.S. State Department
Associated Press spokeswoman Heather
TOKYO (AP) — When North Nauert has denied the U.S.
Korean leader Kim Jong would pay for North Korea
Un and President Donald in Singapore and said
Trump hold their summit Washington wasn't asking
at an exclusive venue anyone else to, either.
in Singapore, one of the In keeping with normal
priciest destinations in practice, Singapore, as the
Asia, they will no doubt run host nation, will have to put
up quite a bill. And if past out for general security and
precedent is any indication, various other expenses.
expect Pyongyang to pay Singapore announced
as little of it as possible. Monday that it was
Speculation over how North declaring part of its city
Korea will handle the costs center a "special event
for Kim's June 12 meeting area" from June 10 to 14 for
with Trump has taken the summit. The designation
off after a Washington will allow for greater security
Post report cited two in the area, which is near
anonymous U.S. officials the U.S. Embassy as well
suggesting the Trump as several hotels, including
administration has been the Shangri-La.
"seeking a discreet way" to The Shangri-La has been
help pay Kim's hotel bill. mentioned as a possible
The report suggested host venue for the talks due to its
nation Singapore might experience as the site of an
take care of it. annual security conference
But what exactly needs to that draws defense officials
be paid for isn't yet clear. from around the globe.
Sure there are the costs Singapore's Defense
of summit venue and Minister Ng Eng Hen on
the hotels, with one Saturday confirmed the
reported option, the country would foot some
Fullerton, coming with a costs, while steering clear
$6,000-a-night price tag of the details or whether
for its presidential suite. But Pyongyang or Washington
that would hardly break had made any specifics
the North Korean bank. requests.
While Kim could decide to "We want to contribute in
stay the night, or maybe our small way so that this
even two, he might also summit can occur," he told
be in a hurry to get back reporters.
home, in which case the The International
North wouldn't need a Campaign to Abolish
room so much as a base Nuclear Weapons has also
camp. North Korea has In this April 27, 2018, file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and South Korean President offered to chip in a share
Moon Jae-in, right, walk together through a honor guard at the border village of Panmunjom in
an embassy in Singapore, the South Korean side of the Demilitarized Zone. of the million dollars it was
but that likely wouldn't be Associated Press awarded for winning the
good enough to meet Nobel Peace Prize last
the logistical and security While highly speculative — South Korean side of the South Korea paid $2.5 year.q
demands of a full-on Kim is even more averse Demilitarized Zone. million to cover the costs
summit. to divulging details about And though this falls in a of more than 400 North
The North may want to his personal wealth than category all of its own, Koreans, only 22 of whom
send a large delegation Trump — the North Korean former South Korean were athletes, at the
to accompany Kim and leader is believed by some President Kim Dae-jung's Pyeongchang Games in
provide its own security. foreign experts to be worth administration secretly February.
If there are any feelers well over $1 billion and paid $500 million to just to The Olympics were the first
going out about cost- have access to billions get Kim Jong Un's father big step of Kim's ongoing
sharing, that's a likely topic. dollars more thanks to the to agree to the first-ever diplomatic campaign,
But it would be more of a full backing of his country. North-South Korea summit which he announced with
sweetener than a necessity. But as history has shown, in 2000. great fanfare in January.
Whatever the venue, it's summits with the Kim family The South Korean president But they weren't the first
debatable why an outside don't come cheap. won that year's Nobel time Seoul had shelled
party would need to pay. Seoul reportedly spent Peace Prize, before the out in the name of Korean
North Korea's government, somewhere in the range of payment was made unity.
which is no stranger to $5 million to cover the costs public. One of his aides For the Asian Games in
hosting lavish events like of costs of President Moon was convicted and went Busan in 2002, it gave about
military parades and party Jae-in's first summit with Kim to prison. $1.3 million, then $836,000
congresses of its own, in April — a day-long affair Hosting North Koreans at for a Universiade in 2003
has ample funds to cover that was held in publicly sports events can also have and another $385,000 for
important meetings for Kim. owned buildings on the extra costs attached. the Asian Games in 2014.