U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has affirmed that his country will maintain its current approach to the North Korean nuclear issue while holding out hopes for negotiations with Pyongyang.

Pompeo told Fox News on Tuesday that there is "only one real approach to denuclearization," which is to denuclearize and begin to take down the threat.

The secretary made the remarks when asked about North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui's recent warnings that if Washington fails to alter its position by the end of this year, it will see "undesired consequences." 

She added that North Korea remains committed to denuclearization but only if the U.S. takes a different course.

Pompeo, however, said that he is still "hopeful" about the prospects of progress towards denuclearization, stressing that the door for dialogue remains open. 

He added that Washington is prepared to engage in conversations to arrive at a process by which the North Koreans can fulfill their commitment made by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last year at his first summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.