The U.S. deputy secretary of state said that he supports South Korean President Lee Myung-bak’s remarks that he may hold a summit meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il this year.

James Steinberg said that the U.S. will strongly support any measures the South Korean president takes toward North Korea, as the South and the U.S. have clear common goals.

Steinberg said that the only path North Korea should take is toward scrapping its nuclear program, defining the current U.S. administration’s North Korea policy as "strategic patience."

He added that Washington is ready to impose harsh sanctions on North Korea until Pyongyang rolls out tangible denuclearization measures.

In regards to North Korea’s proposal for talks to discuss replacing the Korean War armistice with a peace treaty, Steinberg said that North Korea must first return to the six-way nuclear talks.

He added that South Korea’s participation in talks on a peace treaty is essential.