Seoul (AFP)
The United States is "ready" to resume its face-to-face talks with North Korea, stalled for several months, said Wednesday the US special envoy to Seoul.
Bilateral talks have stalled since the failure of the second summit in Hanoi in February between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Washington and Pyongyang failed to agree on the dismantling of North Korea's nuclear programs in exchange for lifting economic sanctions.
But the end of Tuesday's joint annual military exercises by US and South Korean forces, considered a hostile act by North Korea, seems to pave the way for the resumption of talks.
"We are ready to start discussions as soon as we hear from our North Korean counterparts," said Stephen Biegun, the US special envoy for North Korea.
He was speaking in Seoul, where he is currently visiting, after an interview with his South Korean counterpart Lee Do-hoon.
Rumors relayed by the press point to a potential encounter between Americans and North Koreans in the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas. It could take place during Mr. Biegun's three-day stay, which began on Tuesday.
The US envoy also denied press reports that he would be appointed to a diplomatic post in Russia, saying he was "fully engaged" in his current mission.
North Korea has always condemned joint military exercises as a preparation for a future invasion of its territory.
Pyongyang last week called South Korean President Moon Jae-in "shameless" for wanting to resume inter-Korean talks while continuing the maneuvers with the United States.
Nearly 30,000 US servicemen are deployed in South Korea.
Donald Trump, revealing on August 10 the contents of a letter addressed to him by Kim Jong Un, had assured on Twitter that the North Korean leader wanted to resume the negotiations at the end of the joint military exercises.
© 2019 AFP