The US is prepared to meet North Korea without any pre-conditions, a State Department spokesperson said.
The US official made the remark on Monday when asked if the US would be willing to consider easing sanctions on the North, reports Yonhap News Agency.
“We are prepared to meet with the DPRK without preconditions, and of course, we certainly hope that the DPRK will respond positively to our outreach,” said Jalina Porter, principal deputy spokesperson for the State Department.
DPRK stands for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the North’s official name.
During a telephonic press briefing, the deputy spokesperson again emphasised the need for dialogue between the US and North Korea when asked if Washington will also be willing to consider declaring a formal end to the Korean War.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in earlier proposed the US and the two Koreas, possibly together with China, declare a formal end to the 1950-53 war as a way of promoting peace and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
“Again, you’ve heard us say this from here and I think it’s worth underscoring that our goal remains the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” added Porter.
North Korea remains unresponsive to US outreaches despite repeated offers from the Joe Biden administration to meet “anytime, anywhere without preconditions”.
Pyongyang has stayed away from denuclearization talks since early 2019.
Porter further said the US supports inter-Korean dialogue.
“What I can see from here is that … the US certainly supports inter Korean dialogue, as well as engagement and cooperation,” she said.