When Pompeo Met Kim Jong Un: White House posts images of historic moment

The White House released photos of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo shaking hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, marking the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the pariah nation since 2000.

At the time of the Easter weekend visit, Pompeo was director of the CIA and awaiting Senate confirmation to become secretary of state. The meeting was a major step toward a planned meeting between Kim and President Donald Trump, which is scheduled to take place in the coming months.

In this photo released by the US Government on April 26, 2018, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (R) shakes hands with the former CIA Director, now US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo in Pyongyang over the 2018 Easter weekend. ( AFP )

The White House released the photos after Pompeo was confirmed Thursday to his new post.

Then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was the last U.S. official of equivalent rank to visit a North Korean leader when she met Kim’s father in 2000.

To contact the reporter on this story: Joshua Gallu in Washington at jgallu@bloomberg.net.

First Published: Apr 27, 2018 08:36 IST