U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday that the series of discussions in Sweden between representatives of the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) was further progress made by the two countries.
"A set of discussions that took place in Sweden over the weekend have now wrapped up. Again, a little bit more progress," Pompeo said in an interview after delivering remarks to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland through video.
The U.S. top diplomat said the discussions provided the opportunity for Stephen Biegun, the U.S. special representative for the DPRK, and his DPRK counterpart to discuss some of the complicated issues towards achieving what U.S. and DPRK leaders laid out during their first meeting last June in Singapore.
"There remains an awful lot of work to do, but good things have happened already," Pompeo added.
Biegun, DPRK Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, and South Korean negotiator Lee Do-hoon held talks near Stockholm, Sweden over the weekend.
A spokesman of the Swedish Foreign Ministry said Monday that the constructive talks had covered issues concerning developments on the Korean Peninsula, including confidence building, economic development, and long-term engagement.
The talks were believed to be a preparation for the upcoming summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un.
Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of the DPRK's ruling Korean Workers' Party Central Committee, met with Pompeo and Trump Friday in Washington.
The White House announced on the same day that the second summit between Trump and Kim "will take place near the end of February."
