Donald Trump has hailed his talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as "honest, direct and productive" as the two leaders signed an historic joint agreement.

At their summit in Singapore, the US President declared: “We are prepared to start a new history,” while the North Korean leader said the “world will see a major change”.

Crucially, Mr Trump said Mr Kim had agreed during a one on one 40-minute meeting to "verified" denuclearisation; Washington’s key demand before the summit.

Their agreement also included a promise from the Communist leader to rid the Korean peninsula of all nuclear weapons.

It made clear the two countries would co-operate towards "new relations" while the US would provide "security guarantees" to North Korea. The agreement also committed the two leaders to building a “lasting and robust peace regime” on the Korean Peninsula.

At a post-talks press conference in Singapore, an upbeat Mr Trump announced that he would halt planned "war games,” saying in the circumstances they would be provocative and inappropriate.

He also said he would like to visit Pyongyang and invited Mr Kim to the White House “at the appropriate time”.

The North Korean leader, who pledged to destroy a missile testing site, said it was time for his country and America to “leave the past behind”.

At the first ever meeting between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader, the atmosphere was cordial and businesslike as both men repeatedly shook hands.

Mr Trump made clear he had raised the issue of human rights with Mr Kim, who as party chairman heads a totalitarian regime, that employs censorship and labour camps.

More talks between officials will now take place.