United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Saturday that progress has been made on setting a timeline for North Korea's denuclearization after two days of talks in Pyongyang.

Before departing for Japan from his third trip to North Korea, Pompeo told pool reporters that he had “very productive” talks and spent “a good deal of time” discussing a timeline for the North’s denuclearization.

He also said that Washington and Pyongyang will hold working-level talks in the near future for dismantling North Korea's missile engine testing facility in Dongchang-ri, North Pyongyan Province.

Pompeo added that U.S. officials will be meeting with North Koreans around Thursday at the inter-Korean border to discuss the repatriation of remains of American troops killed in the Korean War.

The U.S. top diplomat said the two sides made progress on almost all the central issues, but the Associated Press said that Pompeo did not meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his stay.

Pompeo departed Pyongyang at 4:26 p.m. and landed at Haneda Airport in Tokyo after 7 p.m.

According to pool report, Pompeo met with Kim Yong-chol, vice chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, for the second straight day. The two reportedly had six hours of talks from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

[Photo : YONHAP News]