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| U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during a press conference at the Department of State in Washington, D.C., Friday. / Xinhua-Yonhap |
By Lee Min-hyung
The United States has reaffirmed its determination to continue holding dialogue with North Korea under the precondition that the regime moves first with steps for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday (local time).
The ranking U.S. diplomat also said that President Donald Trump's promise of a brighter future for the North was "very, very real," but this can be realized only after the regime takes more verifiable measures for complete denuclearization.
"It has to follow the verified denuclearization of North Korea," Pompeo said in a local media interview.
"And getting that sequencing right and getting it laid out in a way that each of the parties can agree to and take down the tension level along the North and South Korean border, it matters to the people of Japan and South Korea, our important partners, and it matters to the whole world."
The remark came weeks after the breakdown of the second summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Hanoi last month.
Both leaders failed to reach a deal there amid lingering differences in views on denuclearization. Washington wants Pyongyang to take more verified steps for denuclearization in exchange for sanctions relief. But the North urged the U.S. to offer partial sanctions relief in return for the dismantling of the regime's Yongbyon nuclear facility.
The U.S. considered the proposal from Pyongyang insufficient for sanctions relief.
Even if the North lashed out at the U.S. over the summit breakdown, Washington has remained careful without responding to the rhetoric from Pyongyang.
"We made a little bit more progress in Hanoi, now three weeks back, when President Trump traveled there to meet with Chairman Kim," Pompeo said. "We'll re-engage with him."
Pompeo also remained optimistic on the resumption of dialogue between the U.S. and the North.
"We still haven't made the progress we need to make on denuclearization," he said. "The conversations certainly continue. I hope we can achieve that."
The Congress Research Service, a Washington-based think tank, said in a report that North Korea is suspected of continuing to partner with Iran in nuclear and missile development, according to Radio Free Asia.
No details have been confirmed about the report, but there stands a chance that the North might resume its nuclear armament in consideration of its recent movement to restore missile facilities at Tongchang-ri.
Last week, the North's Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui also hinted at the possibility of ending negotiations with the U.S. and returning to the past by reinforcing nuclear development.
