Secretary of State Mike Pompeo completed his visit to North Korea Saturday without having met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Nevertheless, Pompeo spoke optimistically of the trip, during which he negotiated with senior North Korean official Kim Yong Chol.
"I think we made progress in every element of our discussions," Pompeo told American reporters who accompanied him to Pyongyang. "These are complicated issues but we made progress on almost all of the central issues. Some places a great deal of progress; other places there's still more work to be done."
Further U.S.-North Korea talks about Pyongyang's denuclearization and the repatriation of U.S. remains from the Korean War are being planned. This week's visit began amid reports citing U.S. intelligence agents who reportedly say North Korea is concealing parts of its nuclear program, contrary to its promise of complete denuclearization.