Kim Jong Un goes on a night tour in town
N. Korean leader went to landmarks such as Gardens by the Bay, MBS last night
North Korea leader Kim Jong Un went to some of Singapore's iconic sites yesterday evening.
Mr Kim gamely posed for selfies with local politicians and smiled for the camera as he was taken on a tour of the city.
At 9.10pm yesterday, his motorcade left the St Regis Hotel in the Tanglin area where his delegation is staying, before driving past the Raffles City area towards Marina Bay.
Mr Kim, who arrived in Singapore on Sunday ahead of his historic meeting with US President Donald Trump today in Sentosa, stopped by first at the Gardens by the Bay.
His presence provided excitement to some visitors, such as chef Tiara Rodrigo, 20, and her friend Joash Corea, 19, who joined the media scrum to try and catch a glimpse of Mr Kim.
"He is staying at the hotel near my house, so it is funny that I would bump into him here, at such a touristy location the night before the big meeting," said Ms Rodrigo.
Added Mr Corea, a bartender: "Not much is known about North Korea, and you don't see figures like him out a lot, which makes it more exciting to try and spot him."
After about 20 minutes there, Mr Kim, who was with his sister, Ms Kim Yo Jong, Singapore's Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Education Minister Ong Ye Kung, visited the observation deck of the skypark at Marina Bay Sands (MBS). His presence stunned many patrons at the bars and restaurants near the deck. But they were told not to take photos of Mr Kim and the entourage.
An early sign of a VIP arrival at the deck surfaced when MBS told visitors the deck would be closed at 8pm, two hours earlier than usual. Its staff were seen polishing fingerprints off glass panels of the deck and sweeping the driveway on the first storey.
The Straits Times also saw a heavier security presence at MBS ahead of Mr Kim's arrival - a sight also seen at the Jubilee Bridge, which overlooks the Marina Bay area and Esplanade.
Mr Kim was seen strolling on the bridge - surrounded by men in suits - for about five minutes, before leaving in his motorcade at 10.25pm. He arrived back at the St Regis at 11.20pm.
Mr Kim's officials have been meeting Singapore and US officials - making courtesy calls or engaging in last-minute talks before the one-day summit.
Mr Trump spent yesterday calling on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong before meeting members of the American community in Singapore. - ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY LINETTE LAI, TIFFANY FUMIKO TAY AND FABIAN KOH
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