Anchor: The White House has officially announced the opening time for the U.S.-North Korea summit next Tuesday in Singapore. Amid concerns over Washington easing sanctions on the North without its complete denuclearization, the White House said its policy of maximum pressure has not changed.
Choi You Sun has this report.

Report: White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders says U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are set to meet next week in Singapore.

[Sound bite: Sarah Sanders - White House Press Secretary]
"​I can also tell you the schedule for -- tentatively -- for that first meeting will be on June 12 at 9 a.m. Singapore time and take place June 11, 9 p.m. east coast time." 

That also means the meeting will start at 10 a.m. Korea time.

While the advance team in Singapore is finalizing logistical preparations with the North Koreans, the White House press secretary said discussions between the two sides at the truce village of Panmunjeom have been very positive, with significant progress being made.

Sanders also said Trump has been receiving daily briefings on North Korea from his national security team.

When asked about Washington's current position on sanctions against the North, the press secretary maintained that the U.S. has not abandoned its "maximum pressure" policy.

[Sound bite: Sarah Sanders - White House Press Secretary] 
"Our policy hasn't changed. As the president stated, we have sanctions on, they're very powerful and we would not take those sanctions off unless North Korea denuclearized."

In a letter to Trump on Monday, top Senate Democrats warned they would not support lifting sanctions on the North, without a permanent nuclear deal meeting certain standards.

The principles would require North Korea to denuclearize and get rid of all biological and chemical weapons, end production and enrichment of nuclear materials, scrap its ballistic missile program and allow robust inspections.
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.

[Photo : YONHAP News]