A historic handshake in front of US and North Korean flags, a solemn signing ceremony and back-slapping compliments: critics charge that US President Donald Trump has legitimised Kim Jong Un on the world stage.

The photo opportunity the world was waiting to see -- the two leaders clasping hands -- has also been a goal of the Kim dynasty for decades.

And analysts noted that Trump was treating as an equal a man who only a few months ago seemed to be tipping the world towards nuclear war and whose regime has been accused of horrendous human rights abuses.

"The optics of this summit -- from the handshakes, to the flag arrangements, to the seating arrangements -- are indistinguishable from a meeting between two sovereign states with normal diplomatic relations," said security commentator Ankit Panda

It was not necessarily an "unbearable cost", he tweeted, but added: "The legitimising effect on North Korea's regime is undeniable."

Only months ago, Kim and Trump were hurling personal insults at each other -- "dotard", "rocket man" -- and boasting about their nuclear buttons.

But in the luxurious surrounds of a hotel in neutral Singapore, the pair appeared almost playful at times, going for a stroll in the grounds and Trump allowing Kim a peak inside "The Beast", his armoured car.

At times Trump seemed to be falling over himself to shower the younger man with compliments.

"I learned that he's a very talented man. I also learned that he loves his country very much," said Trump, adding that Kim had a "great personality" and was "very smart."

The contrast with the G7 meeting only days earlier, where Trump found himself isolated over trade policy among traditional allies, was stark.

"Something important happened here that can never be taken back," said Adam Mount, a nuclear policy expert at the Federation of American Scientists.

- Better to talk -

Amid the cynicism, supporters of the talks process argued that Kim's acceptance on the world stage had positive aspects, and was better than leaving him an isolated threat to world peace.

And so soon after North Korea frazzled global nerves with nuclear and missile tests, many commentators said that talks and an agreement, however weak, were clearly better than the two sides lobbing insults -- or worse.

"We are beginning to think about North Korea and Kim Jong Un in terms of 'opportunity', rather than threat, and that itself is a historic transformation," said John Delury, a professor at the Seoul-based Yonsei University, who has long backed engagement with Pyongyang.

"What this does is encourages KJU in his readiness to come out into the world for dialogue and making peace."

On his fifth outing on the world stage, Kim continued his efforts to soften his image, going for an extraordinary night-time stroll to view Singapore's sights and even providing the world with the first-ever Kim selfie.

In North Korea, the state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper printed no fewer than 14 images on its front page of his visit to the Marina Bay Sands hotel complex and other sights.

Kim also earned himself headlines around the world, and arms control specialist Jeffrey Lewis tweeted: "I maybe got a little annoyed at the enthusiastic coverage of what is, at its base, a reality television episode."

Kim charm offensive overshadows N. Korea rights abuses: activists
Singapore (AFP) June 12, 2018 - Kim Jong Un's charm offensive and his historic summit with US President Donald Trump have overshadowed a more sinister side of his regime -- widespread human rights abuses, activists say.

The meeting in Singapore offered a dramatic image makeover for Kim, previously known for his apocalyptic threats of nuclear war and accused of ordering the killings of his own uncle and half-brother.

During his three-day visit, a smiling Kim shared a historic handshake with Trump, took selfies with top Singaporean officials and toured the city-state's scenic waterfront, drawing throngs of onlookers.

Trump praised Kim as a "very talented man" who "loves his country very much," after ignoring a reporter's question on whether he raised the issue of Otto Warmbier -- a US student who died after being detained in the North for more than a year.

"Some say Kim is 'cute' or 'friendlier than expected,' but they should not be deceived by Kim's smiling face at this political show," Choi Jung-Hun, a North Korean defector living in Seoul, told AFP.

The Kim family has ruled the impoverished, nuclear-armed nation with a pervasive personality cult and little tolerance for dissent.

North Korea stands accused of a litany of state-sanctioned rights abuses including torture, rape, execution and brutal crackdowns on dissent.

The regime is estimated to have up to 120,000 political prisoners in its sprawling gulag system.

Kim also had his own powerful uncle, Jang Song-Thaek, executed in 2013 for treason, and is accused of ordering the assassination of his half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, at a Malaysian airport in 2017.

- 'Diplomatic reality show' -

Days before Tuesday's summit, more than 300 rights groups including Human Rights Watch urged Pyongyang to improve its dire rights records.

"Kim Jong Un is trying to become an international statesman, but this effort will fail if he continues to preside over a country that has been referred to as the 'world's biggest open prison'," said Brad Adams, Asia director at HRW.

Trump repeatedly suggested lifting sanctions on the North as ties improved, and praised Tuesday's summit as a "tremendous success".

But while many sanctions were imposed over the North's missile and nuclear weapons tests, some were imposed over rights abuses, John Sifton, HRW Asia advocacy director, said.

That means human rights would be "staying on the agenda of subsequent negotiations, whether they (Kim and Trump) want it or not" Sifton warned on Monday.

Amnesty International also urged efforts to shed light on the "near total denial of human rights" in the North at the summit.

"It would be deeply disappointing if the catastrophic human rights situation in North Korea is completely overlooked as diplomatic relations continue to thaw," it said last week.

The US State Department's latest rights report on the North, released earlier this year, describes "egregious human rights violations" in the authoritarian state, from public executions to widespread surveillance of citizens.

Trump acknowledged earlier this month that he had not raised the issue of human rights during the preparation stage for the summit but on Tuesday said it had been discussed.

Choi urged the international community to see the "dark side behind the diplomatic reality show".

"I really hoped that Trump raised the issue of human rights during the meeting with Kim... so that this dialogue would mean something even for poor North Koreans rotting in prison camps," he said.

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Trump, Kim hail historic summit despite doubts over agreement
Singapore (AFP) June 12, 2018
Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un hailed their historic summit Tuesday as a breakthrough in relations between Cold War foes, but the agreement they produced was short on details about the key issue of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons. The extraordinary encounter saw the leader of the world's most powerful democracy shake hands with the third generation scion of a ruling dynasty, standing as equals in front of their nations' flags. Kim agreed to the "complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula", a st ... read more