Anchor: The U.S. State Department has declined to specify a deadline for North Korea's denuclearization ahead of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's trip to Pyongyang for nuclear talks. The announcement contrasts with comments from U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton that he expected Pompeo to discuss a denuclearization timetable with the North.  
Our Park Jong-hong has this report.

Report: The U.S. State Department has said it will not provide a timeline for North Korea’s denuclearization ahead of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's nuclear talks with the North’s leader Kim Jong-un this week. 

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert made the remarks at a regular press briefing on Tuesday.

[Sound bite: Heather Nauert - U.S. State Department Spokeswoman]
“In terms of a timeline, I know some individuals have given timelines, we are not going to provide a timeline for that.”

She was referring to U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton’s recent comments that he expected Pompeo to discuss a one-year plan for the dismantlement of North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic programs.

[Sound bite: Heather Nauert - U.S. State Department Spokeswoman]
(Reporter: Can you tell us what the Secretary is going to be telling the North Koreans in relation to these reports that they are continuing their research in secret locations?)
"We don’t talk about intelligence matters, but the Secretary – we’re all keeping a close eye – the US government keeping a close eye on North Korea, and the Secretary has been very clear and very blunt with the North Koreans about what he expects, and I’ll leave it at that."

Pompeo is slated to visit Pyongyang on Thursday to meet with Kim and flesh out a denuclearization agreement signed by the North Korean leader and U.S. President Donald Trump at their Singapore summit last month.

The secretary has at least a day and a half of meetings planned for his trip, which will be his third visit to Pyongyang so far.

On his two previous visits, he had laid the groundwork for the Pyongyang-Washington summit last month.
Park Jong-hong, KBS World Radio News.

[Photo : YONHAP News]