South Korea's chief delegate to the six-party nuclear talks says bilateral contact between North Korea and the U.S. is close to being realized.

Returning home after holding talks with the U.S. on Pyongyang's nuclear issue, Wi Sung-lac said that he got the feeling there would be talks between the U.S. and North Korea sometime before the end of the year, but after President Barack Obama finishes his Asia tour this month.

Wi said during his visit that he reconfirmed that Seoul and Washington are on the same page on all issues discussed, including on a package solution to the nuclear issue and the South Korea-U.S. presidential summit scheduled for November 18th.