US, North Korea to hold talks amid months-long stalemate

The U.S . and North Korea will hold talks soon amid a months-long stalemate in nuclear negotiations. 

State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus told The Hill in a statement that “U.S. and DPRK officials plan to meet within the next week.”

“I do not have further details to share on the meeting,” Ortagus added. 

The two countries agreed to begin working-level talks on Oct. 5 after preliminary contact on Oct. 4, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing North Korean state news agency KCNA. 

“The delegates of the DPRK side are ready to enter into the DPRK-U.S. working-level negotiations,” Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui was quoted as saying by KCNA, using North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. {mosads}

Trump and Kim had agreed to restart talks when they met in June at the border between North and South Korea, according to Reuters. The leaders failed to reach an agreement at a summit in February.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in September that the Trump administration was ready to “immediately” resume negotiations with Pyongyang. 

News of the talks comes a day after North Korea blamed the stalled negotiations on U.S. “political and military provocations.” 

In recent months, Pyongyang has also launched short-range ballistic missiles and decried U.S. participation in military drills with South Korea.