Seoul: The US stands ready to resume denuclearization negotiations with North Korea as soon as possible and hopes to hear back from Pyongyang on the same, a senior American official said.
Christopher Ford, assistant secretary of state for international security and non-proliferation, commented on Thursday during a press briefing marking the 50th anniversary of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Despite three meetings between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, denuclearization negotiations between the two sides have stalled for more than a year due to differences in the scope of North Korea's denuclearization and concessions from Washington.
"From a State Department perspective, it remains true that we are ready and willing and prepared for the beginning of working-level discussions with North Korea in which they will, one hopes, implement the commitments made in Singapore and allow us to move forward towards the kind of negotiated solution that our senior officials from President Trump all down have been calling for some time," Ford said at the briefing.
"We have been ready for that and look forward to hearing back from them and moving forward as soon as possible," he added.