A U.S. expert on Korean affairs says North Korea has conveyed to him its position on the future direction of bilateral relations with the United States.

Jack Pritchard, the president of the Korea Economic Institute, flew to Beijing, China, on Tuesday after his four-day visit to the North with two other American experts.

Pritchard said his group went to Pyongyang for research purposes and did not carry with it an official message from the U.S. government to North Korea. He added that Pyongyang also did not ask that any messages be delivered to Washington.

Pritchard said no other details about the trip will be disclosed until the group debriefs the U.S. State Department about its visit.