The U.S. intelligence chief said that North Korea is unlikely to give up its nuclear weapons program, raising questions about the North's commitment to its denuclearization ahead of a second U.S.-North Korea summit.

According to Reuters, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats gave the assessment at a Senate panel hearing on Tuesday. 

The spy chief said that the U.S. currently assesses that North Korea will seek to retain its capabilities of weapons of mass destruction because its leaders ultimately view nuclear weapons as critical to regime survival.

Coats said North Korea has halted its provocative behavior related to weapons of mass destruction, has not conducted any nuclear missile tests in more than a year and has dismantled some of its nuclear infrastructure.

However, he said the assessment that the North Korean leader is unlikely to surrender his nukes is "bolstered by the U.S. observations of some activity that is inconsistent with full denuclearization.”