U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to North Korea again next week along with a new U.S. special representative to continue negotiations on denuclearization.

Pompeo made the announcement during a news conference at the State Department on Thursday, during which he also named Ford Vice President Stephen Biegun as U.S. special representative for North Korea.

The secretary said that Beigun will direct U.S. policy toward North Korea and lead efforts to achieve President Trump's goal of the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea.

Pompeo added that Beigun and he will be traveling to North Korea next week to make further diplomatic progress towards Washington's objective, without disclosing the dates.

Meanwhile, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Pompeo will visit North Korea "relatively soon" but that he had no plans to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. 

She told a regular news briefing that a meeting has not been scheduled and Washington has no expectations of meeting with Kim, adding that is not a part of this trip.

[Photo : YONHAP News]