The top envoys of North Korea and the U.S. held working-level negotiations in Vietnam ahead of their second bilateral summit set to open in Hanoi next Wednesday.

North Korea’s special representative for U.S. affairs Kim Hyok-chol was seen entering the hotel where his U.S. counterpart Stephen Biegun is staying at around 1:30 p.m. Kim was accompanied by Kim Song-hye, head of the unification strategy office at the United Front Department. 

Kim Hyok-chol and Biegun reportedly held negotiations for over four hours. 

It is the first time in two weeks the two envoys have sat down for talks since Biegun’s three-day visit to Pyongyang earlier this month. 

With just a few days left until the summit, the two envoys are expected to arrange a Hanoi declaration for their leaders to endorse, which will likely include steps for the North's complete denuclearization and building U.S.-North Korea relations.

[Photo : KBS News]