Ahead of a summit between the leaders of North Korea and Russia, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the North's denuclearization depends on Kim Jong-un's "strategic decision."

Pompeo made the remark on Wednesday during an interview with CBS News, saying that he believes there is a real opportunity to fundamentally shift the strategic paradigm on the Korean Peninsula.

The secretary said the U.S. is determined to not repeat past mistakes, and although future negotiations will be challenging and bumpy, he "absolutely" sees a path leading to the dismantlement of the North's nuclear weapons program.

Pompeo added that North Korea faces the challenge of shifting its narrative from one in which it sees nuclear weapons as a security guarantee to something that puts the nation at risk, noting Chairman Kim is prepared to make not just a strategic military decision, but a political decision.

[Photo : YONHAP News]