Anchor: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the U.S. has not been able to arrange working-level denuclearization talks with North Korea in September. As the top U.S. diplomat explained that Washington stands ready for talks, a key North Korean official urged the U.S. once again to take a fresh approach to the situation.  
Kim Bum-soo has more. 

Report: 

[Sound bite: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo]
"... we were hopeful there’d be meetings – working-level meetings – by the end of this month, by the end of September. We have not been able to make those happen, and we don’t have a date yet when we’ll be able to get together."

Washington and Pyongyang appear to have failed to set up much-anticipated working-level nuclear negotiations this month.

During a news conference in New York on Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo revealed where the two sides stand. 

[Sound bite: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo] 
"And I – we hope the phone rings and that we get that call and we get that chance to find a place and a time that work for the North Koreans and that we can deliver on the commitments that Chairman Kim and President Trump made. But I don’t have that in hand yet."

Earlier this month, North Korea said it is willing to restart nuclear talks, which have been stalled for nearly seven months due to disagreements on the terms of denuclearization. 

[Sound bite: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo] 
"I’m happy to affirm here again this afternoon, we’re ready. Our team’s prepared to meet with them." 

While the two sides struggle to find common ground, North Korean Foreign Ministry adviser Kim Kye-gwan issued a statement Friday, renewing Pyongyang's call for a fresh approach.  

While arguing that politicians in Washington are obsessed with the mistaken notion that "nuclear disarmament-first" will force Pyongyang's hand, he hoped U.S. President Donald Trump will make "wise and bold" decisions to turn the situation around.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.

[Photo : YONHAP News]