The Trump-Kim summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, was cut short abruptly on Thursday, Feb. 28.

Trump: North Korea wants all sanctions lifted

United States president Donald Trump told reporters at a press conference at about 3:30pm Singapore time that talks failed and he had to walk away from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

As for the reason why both sides did not sign a joint agreement despite plans to do so, Trump said Pyongyang "wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety" in exchange for dismantling Yongbyon -- a key nuclear facility, reported Politico.

Trump also noted that Yongbyon is simply a part of North Korea's nuclear programme:

"I felt that that particular... facility, while very big, it wasn't enough to do what we were doing."

North Korea disputes Trump's account

However, North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho called for a rare press conference in Hanoi at midnight and disputed Trump's account that Pyongyang was only willing to accept a complete deal.

He said via a live translator:

"What we proposed was not the removal of all sanctions, but a partial removal.

If the U.S. removes partial sanctions... that hamper the civilian economy and the livelihood of our people, in particular, we will permanently and completely dismantle all the nuclear material production facilities (at Yongbyon)."

Ri also said that North Korea made a realistic proposal but Washington wanted more, reported Reuters.

He said Pyongyang had offered to permanently dismantle all its nuclear material production including plutonium and uranium while U.S. experts observed.

Top image via Huy Phong/ AFP/ Getty Images