U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un wants security assurances, a peace treaty and economic support in return for the North’s denuclearization. 

Pompeo, who visited the communist country in April and May and met Kim twice, made the remark at a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday. 

The secretary told the committee that Kim and he discussed mutual goals of the planned U.S.-North Korea summit during his second trip to Pyongyang.

Pompeo said that in the meeting he could not have been clearer about the scope of the verification work that would be required, all of the elements that would be necessary in order for America to understand that there had been "real denuclearization."

In response, Kim reportedly made clear it was important to him that when those objectives had been achieved, he in turn would receive economic help from America in the form of private sector business knowledge and know-how.

Pompeo said that Kim also wanted security assurances from the world and to turn an armistice with a peace treaty.
  
The U.S. secretary said that he was hopeful the summit would take place but Washington is prepared to walk away from nuclear negotiations with North Korea if the summit heads in the wrong direction, saying "a bad deal is not an option."

[Photo : YONHAP News]