So the question that many had for months for North Korea and the U.S. was... has Washington set a formal timeline for Pyongyang's denuclearization?
And according to the latest reports... the answer seems to be 'yes'.
The U.S. reportedly asked North Korea to hand over well over *half....of its nuclear weapons within a set timeframe.
Our Lee Ji-won has more.
It's being reported the United States HAS presented a denuclearization timeline to North Korea, but the regime has refused to accept it.
Multiple U.S. media outlets, including Vox, reported Wednesday that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo requested Pyongyang to hand over 60 to 70 percent of its nuclear warheads within six to eight months,... which Washington or a third party would take possession of.
But it's unclear what the U.S. offered in exchange, if anything.
Citing two people familiar with the discussions, Vox added that Pompeo has presented the timeline to North Korea numerous times within the past two months, but it was rebuffed each time by the North Koreans, led by Kim Yong-chol, Pyongyang's Vice Chairman of the Ruling Workers' Party's Central committee.
According to the Washington Post, U.S. intelligence agencies estimate the North has as many as 60 nuclear warheads,... but the exact number is not known.
Therefore, even if the regime DOES agree to hand over more than half of its warheads, it would be difficult to verify that was actually the case.
A source told Vox this is why Pompeo's main goal at the current stage of negotiations is to get North Korea to officially disclose how many nuclear weapons it possesses.
As the talks have not made much progress,... Washington could be losing patience.
The U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, told reporters traveling with her during a visit to Colombia, that everything is currently in North Korea's court.
She went on to say the international community still expects Pyongyang to keep its promise to denuclearize and the U.S. is willing to wait if the international community wants to.
But she warned the U.S. is NOT going to wait for too long.
The negotiations are proving tricky as North Korea is sticking to its guns on the U.S. fulfilling its side of the bargain.
North Korea's state-run newspaper Rodong Sinmun published an editorial on Thursday, urging Washington to declare an end to the Korean War.
It said ending the war is the first step to securing peace in the region and around the world, adding it will set a positive atmosphere and build confidence between Pyongyang and Washington.
Lee Ji-won, Arirang News.
