After weeks of speculation,... we now have confirmation.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has revealed he will meet this week with North Korea's Kim Yong-chol, leader Kim Jong-un's closest aide, in New York.
Up for discussion: denuclearization and a second summit between Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Lee Seung-jae reports.
In an interview with CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday,... U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed his meeting with Kim Yong-chol, whom he called North Korea's "number two", will happen sometime this week in New York.
Pompeo said he expects the two sides to make "some real progress",... including an effort to make sure the upcoming second summit between Kim Jong-un and President Trump can take place where substantial steps toward denuclearization can be achieved.
Despite the upcoming meeting, the two sides continue to be at odds over the heavy sanctions on the regime.
Last week, North Korea's foreign ministry warned Pyeongyang will "seriously" consider reviving its nuclear weapons program unless U.S. sanctions are lifted.
However, Pompeo made it clear on "Fox News Sunday",... that there would be "no economic relief" until the U.S. had achieved its ultimate objective.
Meanwhile, news of the meeting between Pompeo and Kim Yong-chol,... and the possibility of another summit comes just two days before the crucial midterm elections in the U.S.,... widely seen as a referendum on President Trump.
Trump has often pointed to the detente with North Korea as his signature foreign policy accomplishment.
Pompeo emphasized in both television appearances that there have been no missile or nuclear tests since the Singapore summit some five months ago.
Kim Yong-chol,... a former top intelligence chief, visited the White House in the run-up to the Singapore summit,... and has been Pompeo's counterpart in the months since.
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.
