U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will dismantle the regime's nuclear weapons program as promised at last month’s summit between the two leaders. 

Trump tweeted on Monday that he is confident Kim will "honor the contract we signed and, even more importantly, our handshake." 

He suggested that China may be responsible for North Korea's hesitance to move forward on its denuclearization. 

Trump wrote that China may be "exerting negative pressure" on a deal apparently as result of the current trade dispute between Washington and Beijing. 

The optimistic message came after North Korea issued a critical statement on the U.S.’ approach to the North’s denuclearization over the weekend following U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's latest visit to Pyongyang. 

[Photo : YONHAP News]