Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun daily has reported that North Korea had recently proposed to the U.S. that the two nations set up liaison offices.

Yomiuri on Monday quoted a source as saying that the North’s Vice Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho said in a recent forum in New York that it is the wish of Pyongyang’s highest ranks that the two nations will open liaison offices in the capital cities within this year.

Regarding a recent agreement between the U.S. and North Korea, Ri reportedly said that officials of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will soon enter the North to launch discussions with Pyongyang as early as later this month.