U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has pledged to exert his best efforts to speed up the issuing of American visas for South Koreans.

In an interview with KBS Tuesday, Powell said he is aware that South Korea wants visa waivers for its travelers, and that even though visa exemption would not likely be granted soon, Washington would try to make the visa issuance process easier.

The top U.S. official said that after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the United States had to tighten controls with respect to the issuance of visas and to monitoring entries into the country, which slowed down the overall visa process.

On South Korea's past nuclear activities, Powell expressed confidence that the International Atomic Energy Agency would ultimately bring the matter to a close by determining that they were minor experiments that Seoul has already accounted for.

Asked if he would be willing to visit Pyongyang as a special envoy, Powell said he is "not ready to even think about visiting North Korea" until the communist state agrees to completely eliminate its nuclear program.

The U.S. state secretary left Seoul Tuesday afternoon, wrapping up his three-nation Asian tour.