Commemorative coin of Trump and Kim Jong-un released as North Korea summit uncertain

As U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged there is a "very substantial chance" that his highly publicizedsummit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will not go ahead as planned on June 12, a U.S. militaryagency has already unveiled a coincommemorating the "peace talks."

The red, white and gold coin showsTrump and Kim facing one another with the U.S. and North Korean flags in the background. The words "peace talks" are inscribed between "United States of America" and "Democratic People's Republic of Korea" (North Korea's formal name). It also displaysKim'schosentitle of "Supreme Leader."

Although commemorative coins also known as "challenge coins" are routinely made to mark important events and visits, Democratic minority leader Sen. Chuck Schumercriticized Kim's depiction.

"I urge the White House to take Kim off the coin," Schumer said in a tweet on Tuesday.

Challenge coins are a time-honoured tradition, he said, "but Kim Jong Un's face has no place on this coin. He is a brutal dictator and something like the Peace House would be much more appropriate."

(The Peace House is a venue located in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.)

North Korea threatened to pull out of the summit with the U.S. which Trump had saidcould be "a very special moment for world peace" last week after cancelling planned peace talks with South Korea.The North objected to the continuation of long-scheduled joint military exercises between U.S. and South Koreanforces, as well as U.S. demands for its denuclearization.

When asked by a reporter on Tuesdaywhether it had been premature to make the coins, White House press secretary Sarah HuckabeeSanders said the White House had nothing to do with producing them.

They were made by White House Communications Agency a government military agency as standard procedure, she said.

Earlier in the day,White House spokespersonRajShah said the agency has commissionedsouvenir coins to markimportant trips since 2003.