U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says that the U.S. and North Korea made "real progress" toward a possible summit between their leaders. 

Pompeo made the remarks on Thursday in a news conference in New York after holding talks with Kim Yong-chol, vice chairman of the North's ruling Workers' Party's Central Committee. The pair also held a dinner meeting on Wednesday. 

Pompeo said that the two sides made real progress in the last 72 hours in terms of setting the conditions for a successful summit on June 12 in Singapore, but there remains a great deal of work to do. 

The 72 hours appear to refer to Pompeo's talks with Kim as well as working-level meetings between the two sides in Singapore and the truce village of Panmunjeom. 

Pompeo also said that it will take bold leadership from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un if the two sides are to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change the course of the world. 

The secretary, however, said that he still doesn't know whether the highly anticipated summit will take place. 

[Photo : YONHAP News]