A senior U.S. official said the United States will provide incentives for North Korea if the Kim Jong-un regime makes the right choice regarding denuclearization.

In a press call for next week's U.S.-North Korea summit, the official told reporters on Thursday that the U.S.' ultimate goal is the complete denuclearization of North Korea. . 

The official said the U.S. is seeking to move forward with "very big bites," not incremental steps.

The official admitted that developing a shared understanding of "denuclearization" is a top priority in bilateral negotiations and denied that withdrawing American troops from South Korea was being discussed as part of a deal.

The two countries are engaged in negotiations ahead of next week's second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Hanoi, Vietnam.

[Photo : YONHAP News]