The U.S. Secretary of State says his country is ready to begin negotiations with North Korea on denuclearization "as soon as possible." According to Reuters, Mike Pompeo stated on Wednesday, September 19, that he has invited North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho to meet next week in New York. Ri Yong-ho is scheduled to travel to the U.S. next week to attend a United Nations meeting. Pompeo also noted that he has invited North Korean representatives to meet with Stephen Biegun, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, in Vienna "at the earliest opportunity." These comments come just hours after Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, announced after a meeting with the South Korean president in Pyongyang that he is ready to end operations at the Tongchang-ri site, a key facility for testing ballistic missile engines, in the presence of international experts. The North Korean leader also stated that if the U.S. takes reciprocal action, he would take further practical steps to end operations at the Nyangbyon nuclear facility. The issue of ending activities at the Tongchang-ri site is not new. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, had previously stated after a meeting with Kim Jong-un in Singapore in June that the North Korean leader had promised to end activities at this site. However, Mike Pompeo considered Kim Jong-un's statements regarding the Tongchang-ri site in the presence of "American and international experts" as "a step forward." Pompeo, referring to these statements on Wednesday, said: "Based on these important commitments, the United States is ready to immediately start negotiations and transform U.S.-North Korea relations." Earlier, Pompeo was scheduled to travel to North Korea in early September, but at that time, Donald Trump canceled the trip, citing a lack of significant progress in negotiations with North Korea to eliminate nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula. Subsequently, the official North Korean news agency reported in mid-September, quoting the country's leader, that Pyongyang is committed to the denuclearization process on the peninsula. On Wednesday, the South Korean president also noted after meeting with the North Korean leader that Pyongyang has agreed to take practical steps toward denuclearization. The United States intends to complete the denuclearization process of North Korea by January 2012.
Pompeo: We are ready to negotiate with North Korea as soon as possible
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced readiness to negotiate with North Korea on denuclearization, inviting North Korean officials for talks. This follows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's commitment to end operations at key missile testing sites. The developments signal a potential shift in U.S.-North Korea relations and efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The U.S. expressed readiness to negotiate with North Korea on denuclearization, inviting North Korean officials for talks. This follows North Korea's commitment to dismantle key missile testing sites.
- Mike Pompeo invited North Korean officials to meet in New York and Vienna.
- Kim Jong-un announced readiness to end operations at the Tongchang-ri missile testing site.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The U.S. and North Korea have been engaged in a complex diplomatic process aimed at denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, with varying levels of progress and setbacks.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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