With the conclusion of three-day working-level talks in Sweden between senior officials of North Korea and the United States,... America's top diplomat says progress has been made to prepare for the next meeting between their two leaders.
Mike Pompeo also explained that the second summit will serve as a "good marker" for both sides.
Kim Hyo-sun reports.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed his expectations for further progress in North Korea's denuclearization during the next Pyeongyang-Washington summit, scheduled for late next month.
Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos via satellite link on Tuesday,... Pompeo explained that the second summit will serve as a (quote) "good marker" for the two sides.

"I believe that the end of February we'll have another good marker along the way."

He also said progress was made when North Korea's top nuclear envoy Kim Yong-chol visited Washington last week,... and that positive results were reached during recent working-level talks in Sweden.
However, he added that numerous tasks lie ahead,... hinting there are certain obstacles to overcome in preparing the second summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump.

"There remains an awful lot of work to do. But good things have happened already. The North Koreans aren't conducting missile tests. The North Koreans aren't conducting nuclear tests."

Meanwhile, the delegations from North Korea and the U.S. who took part in the working-level talks to prepare for the second summit returned to their respective countries on Tuesday, local time.
Despite the extensive three-day meeting just outside Stockholm,... experts say the two sides will continue to meet for the next month to prepare for the summit.
As many speculate the officials will probably meet again at the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom,... it's left to be seen how South Korea can act as mediator between Pyeongyang and Washington.
Kim Hyo-sun, Arirang News.