Much progress made with North Korea, but more work remains: Pompeo
- 6 years ago
Let's start with the high-stakes talks in New York between U.S. Secretary of Mike Pompeo and North Korea's Vice chairman of its ruling Workers' Party's Central Committee, Kim Yong-chol.
Speaking at a press conference a little earlier,... Pompeo said he's confident their teams in Singapore and at the border village of Panmunjom, working with their North Korean counterparts to prepare for the North Korea-U.S. summit are going in the right direction.
For more let's connect live to our Lee Ji-won who is on the phone for us over at Seoul's Foreign Affairs Ministry.
Ji-won,... tell us more about what Pompeo said....
Mark, Pompeo said much progress has been made not only in his talks with Kim Yong-chol but also in meetings at the other venues,... but there remains a great deal of work to do, including convincing the North that in fact their security is greater without the nuclear weapons.
Pompeo reiterated how he made it clear to the regime numerous times, including his recent talks with Kim Yong-chol and his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his visit to Pyongyang, of his, President Trump and the United States' objective of the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. He added they also made sure North Korea is clearly aware of the brighter path the U.S. is ready to help Pyongyang make, should it denuclearize.
And Secretary Pompeo said he has faith in the North Korean leader.
"It will take bold leadership from Chairman Kim Jong-un if we are able to seize this once in a lifetime opportunity to change the course for the world. President Trump and I believe Chairman Kim is the kind of leader who can make those kinds of decisions and that in the coming weeks and months we will have the opportunity to test whether or not this is the case."
Pompeo added he and Kim Yong-chol discussed on how North Korea and the U.S. face pivotal moment in opening a new era of peace, prosperity and security, and the two sides should not let this opportunity go to waste.
Now President Trump has hinted on the senior North Korean official visiting Washington, is that going to happen?
Yes Mark, Pompeo, in his briefing, said that Kim Yong-chol is planning to travel to Washington to deliver Trump a personal letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
President Trump, before flying to Texas on Thursday, said he expects the official on Friday and that he is looking forward to seeing what's in the letter, which he believes will be very positive.
Now, during that quick press interview, Trump also said the meetings have been very positive, as he had tweeted earlier in the day, and that hopefully he and Kim Jong-un will hold a meeting on June 12th in Singapore.
But he also hinted on the high uncertainty of the meeting.
"I wanted to be meaningful. It doesn't mean it gets all done at one meeting. Maybe you have to have a second or third and maybe we'll have none. But it's in good hands."
That'
Speaking at a press conference a little earlier,... Pompeo said he's confident their teams in Singapore and at the border village of Panmunjom, working with their North Korean counterparts to prepare for the North Korea-U.S. summit are going in the right direction.
For more let's connect live to our Lee Ji-won who is on the phone for us over at Seoul's Foreign Affairs Ministry.
Ji-won,... tell us more about what Pompeo said....
Mark, Pompeo said much progress has been made not only in his talks with Kim Yong-chol but also in meetings at the other venues,... but there remains a great deal of work to do, including convincing the North that in fact their security is greater without the nuclear weapons.
Pompeo reiterated how he made it clear to the regime numerous times, including his recent talks with Kim Yong-chol and his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his visit to Pyongyang, of his, President Trump and the United States' objective of the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. He added they also made sure North Korea is clearly aware of the brighter path the U.S. is ready to help Pyongyang make, should it denuclearize.
And Secretary Pompeo said he has faith in the North Korean leader.
"It will take bold leadership from Chairman Kim Jong-un if we are able to seize this once in a lifetime opportunity to change the course for the world. President Trump and I believe Chairman Kim is the kind of leader who can make those kinds of decisions and that in the coming weeks and months we will have the opportunity to test whether or not this is the case."
Pompeo added he and Kim Yong-chol discussed on how North Korea and the U.S. face pivotal moment in opening a new era of peace, prosperity and security, and the two sides should not let this opportunity go to waste.
Now President Trump has hinted on the senior North Korean official visiting Washington, is that going to happen?
Yes Mark, Pompeo, in his briefing, said that Kim Yong-chol is planning to travel to Washington to deliver Trump a personal letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
President Trump, before flying to Texas on Thursday, said he expects the official on Friday and that he is looking forward to seeing what's in the letter, which he believes will be very positive.
Now, during that quick press interview, Trump also said the meetings have been very positive, as he had tweeted earlier in the day, and that hopefully he and Kim Jong-un will hold a meeting on June 12th in Singapore.
But he also hinted on the high uncertainty of the meeting.
"I wanted to be meaningful. It doesn't mean it gets all done at one meeting. Maybe you have to have a second or third and maybe we'll have none. But it's in good hands."
That'