A senior government official says the United States and North Korea may need more than a month or two to finalize the details of a bilateral meeting, noting that timing and format have not yet been set.

After a meeting on the North Korean nuclear issue in Washington, the South Korean official told reporters on condition of anonymity that the United States will take a careful approach so as to not give the North a wrong signal.

He said the other concerned parties of the six-party nuclear talks support the U.S. plan for bilateral contact, but further negotiations will be necessary on its agenda and scope.

The official stressed that they will not repeat the past mistake of rewarding Pyongyang for returning to the dialogue table, as the North has already shown that it’s capable of reverting, noting its second nuclear test and its failure to live up to previous agreements.