Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrapped up his third visit to North Korea today.
While he called talks over the past two days “productive,” the North Korean Foreign Ministry rejected that sentiment and released a statement saying the talks with Pompeo and the United States’ attitude about the talks are “regrettable.”
North Korea is accusing the United States of “unilateral demands for denuclearization,” the Associated Press reported Saturday morning.
BREAKING: North Korea Foreign Ministry says talks with Pompeo ‘regrettable,’ accuses US of unilateral demands for denuclearization.
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 7, 2018
Pompeo did not meet with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un during his two-day trip, and it is being reported that nothing tangible came from the meetings.
However, Pompeo told reporters that the U.S. and North Korea would hold more talks in the near future about one of North Korea’s nuclear testing facilities, and that the Pentagon would meet with North Korean officials around July 12 to discuss returning the remains of U.S. service members.
Pompeo wraps up 2 days of talks in North Korea without seeing Kim Jong Un, calls discussions ‘productive.’ https://t.co/ZedPVwBnNk
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 7, 2018
U.S. officials have said it has been very clear what the United States’ demands are following the historic summit between President Trump and Kim last month in Singapore. The U.S. wants complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
After the summit, Trump praised Kim and North Korea. Trump also tweeted this week that things are “going well” with North Korea.
“Many good conversations with North Korea,” he wrote, “it is going well!”
Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un met for the first time this past June in Singapore, where they signed an agreement that, among other things, called for taking steps toward the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
It was reported this week that Trump might invite Kim to a second meeting this fall in New York City. The meeting could possibly take place in September, around the same time as the United Nations General Assembly, when world leaders and diplomats are in the city.
At the summit, North Korea agreed to return the remains of up to 200 American service members who were lost or missing during the Korean War, and it is believed the transfer of the troops’ remains will take place very soon. The remains have yet to be handed over from North Korea, despite U.S. preparations at the Demilitarized Zone to accept remains.
Trump also agreed that the United States would temporarily halt all military drills on or near the Korean Peninsula with South Korea, as North Korea views such drills as practice for invasion and war.
