Pompeo says US, N Korea continue to make progress on nuclear issue

SEOUL: US secretary of state Mike Pompeo held two hours of talks with North Korean chief Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang on Sunday and said the 2 facets continued to make progress toward denuclearization.

Shortly after arriving in South Korea following the consult with, Pompeo posted a photograph of himself strolling together with Kim on Twitter, announcing: "Had a good trip to #Pyongyang to meet with Chairman Kim. We continue to make progress on agreements made at Singapore Summit. Thanks for hosting me and my team @StateDept."

Kim and Pompeo met for approximately two hours, including lunch at the Paekhwawon, or 100 Flowers Garden, a prestigious state guesthouse, in step with a pool record.

The temporary travel, his fourth since March, was once first of all planned in past due August however referred to as off at the final minute by U.S. President Donald Trump who blamed loss of progress.

"It's a very nice day that promises a good future for both countries," Kim said, talking through an interpreter, as he sat down at the lunch table with Pompeo.

"Thank you for hosting, President Trump sends his regards. And we had a very successful morning, so thank you and I am looking forward to our time here at lunch as well," Pompeo said.

Kim pledged to work toward denuclearisation at his unheard of meeting with Trump in Singapore in June, however Pyongyang's actions have since fallen wanting Washington's calls for for irreversible steps to give up its arsenal, including mentioning all nuclear and missile facilities.

A U.S. reputable who was once part of Pompeo's delegation said the newest consult with to the North was once "better than the last time" however added: "It's going to be a long haul."

Pompeo's final travel did not go well. He left Pyongyang in July hailing progress, just for North Korea to denounce him for making "gangster-like demands." Pompeo did not meet Kim on that travel.

In Seoul, Pompeo was once scheduled to satisfy South Korean President Moon Jae-in later on Sunday ahead of protecting talks with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, in step with Moon's administrative center.

Pompeo visited Tokyo on Friday and may be due to commute to Beijing ahead of returning home on Monday.

'LONG HAUL'

Pompeo had said en path to Asia he aimed "to make sure we understand what each side is truly trying to achieve." He said he additionally was hoping to agree a "general date and location" for a second summit, which Kim proposed to Trump in a letter final month.

Pompeo declined to provide details of his planned negotiations when requested if he would agree to North Korean calls for for a declaration to end the 1950-53 Korean War or to South Korea's suggestion that to wreck the current stalemate, he will have to keep away from pressing once more for a list of North Korea's nuclear guns.

Trump has gave the impression eager about a second summit with Kim, although recent North Korean statements have urged the 2 facets are far from narrowing their differences.

Recently, Pompeo has angered North Korea by insisting that world sanctions should stay in position till it offers up its nuclear guns. On Wednesday, he said there was once unanimous improve for this ultimately week's UN General Assembly, even though Russia and China "had some ideas about how we might begin to think about a time when it would be appropriate to reduce them."

North Korean foreign minister Ri Yong Ho instructed the United Nations final month that continued sanctions had been deepening the North's distrust of the United States and there was once no approach Pyongyang would give up its nuclear guns unilaterally under such instances.