US CIA chief, Mike Pompeo's secret meeting with N Korean leader Kim Jong Un hailed a success by Trump

A meeting last week between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Mike Pompeo, Donald Trump's nominee to become the top U.S. diplomat director went well, according to the U.S. President.

Pompeo became the most senior U.S. official known to have met Kim when he visited Pyongyang to discuss a planned summit with Trump.

In a Tweet, Trump wrote that the meeting went smoothly. the strongest sign yet of his willingness to become the first serving U.S. president ever to meet a North Korean leader, despite the protracted standoff over the North's nuclear and missile programs it pursues in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions..

At his private retreat in Florida, Mr Trump began two days of talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

He said he would raise the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea at the summit and do what he could to get the best possible outcome for Japan.

Trump also said five locations are under consideration for the historic summit with Kim.

He said the US is having direct talks with North Korea at "extremely high levels."