Top North Korea official Kim Yong-chol 'flies to US to set up meeting with Donald Trump'

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, right, and Kim Yong-chol
AP

One of Kim Jong-un’s top officials is thought to be travelling to the US as preparations for a historic summit appeared to remain on track.

Gen Kim Yong-chol, a top military figure in North Korea, was scheduled to fly out on Wednesday after speaking to Chinese officials in Beijing, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said.

If his trip is confirmed, he would be the most senior North Korean official to meet with top officials in the US since Jo Myong-rok, a marshal, met with then-President Bill Clinton at the White House in 2000.

Kim Yong-chol at Beijing airport on Tuesday
AP

He wrote that he had no choice but to cancel the meeting, which was scheduled to take place in June, because Kim jong-un had shown "tremendous anger and open hostility in a recent statement".

A day later, Mr Trump said he had reconsidered, and officials from both countries are said to be meeting to work out details.

Kim Chang-son, Kim jong-un's de facto chief of staff, flew to Singapore via Beijing on Monday night, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported.

At the same time, the White House said a "pre-advance" team was travelling to Singapore to meet with North Koreans.

US government officials, including the White House deputy chief of staff for operations Joe Hagin, left US Yokota Air Base in Japan for Singapore on Monday, NHK said.

The reports indicate that planning for the summit is moving ahead.

When Kim Chang-son was asked by a reporter at the Beijing airport if he was flying to Singapore for talks with the US, he said he was "going there to play," according to footage from Nippon Television Network.

Choe Kang-il, a North Korean foreign ministry official involved with North America issues, was also spotted at Beijing Capital International Airport, according to Yonhap.

It did not say whether Mr Choe would be accompanying Kim Yong-chol.

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