US Secretary of State begins 4th visit to North Korea
The US Secretary of State's fourth trip to Pyongyang comes as the two countries are discussing the process of organizing a second summit.
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| US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (left) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at a meeting in Pyongyang on April 26, 2018. Photo: AFP/TTXVN |
On October 5, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo left for North Korea. The US Secretary of State's fourth trip to Pyongyang comes as the two countries are discussing the process of organizing a second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Speaking to reporters traveling with him on his flight to North Korea, Secretary of State Pompeo said the two countries need to build trust.
“Each side needs to build real trust so that they can take the necessary steps towards the final outcome and then we will prepare for the upcoming summit. So we hope that at least the two sides can discuss options such as the location and time for Chairman Kim to meet the US President again,” he said.
However, Secretary Pompeo did not provide details of his upcoming discussions in North Korea, including whether the US would accept Pyongyang's demand for a declaration to end the Korean War as a measure to build trust between the two sides.
Also in the interview, Secretary of State Pompeo affirmed that China will be part of the solution to the North Korea problem.
Asked whether recent tensions with China would affect US efforts on the North Korea issue, Secretary Pompeo reiterated that Beijing has repeatedly made clear that it wants to see denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.
Secretary Pompeo is scheduled to visit Japan on October 6 before heading to North Korea on the morning of October 7. He is also scheduled to visit China on October 8./.
