The United States says the aim of U.S. special envoy Stephen Bosworth's visit to North Korea is to resume the six-party nuclear talks and not to discuss a peace regime the North is expected to request.

In a Monday news briefing, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said Bosworth will head to Pyongyang on Tuesday with the defined agenda of resuming the six-way talks and reaffirming the goal of North Korea's complete and verifiable denuclearization.

He said he doesn't believe the envoy will seek talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.