Next week's historic meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump will likely result in what will be only the first step towards Pyongyang giving up its nuclear arsenal, a leading South Korean DPRK watcher told NK News last week.

In an interview in Seoul, the Sejong Institute's Cheong Seong-chang also argued that the long-awaited Singapore summit - set to take place next Tuesday at the Capella Hotel - will need to see the two sides take steps towards a permanent peace deal, else any agreement could be reversed by a future U.S. administration.