Pompeo: N. Korean leader 'prepared' to 'help us achieve' denuclearization

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he had a "good conversation" with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the "hardest issues that face our two countries," during an interview with ABC News.

Appearing on the network's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," Pompeo said the North Korean leader is "prepared" to "lay out a map that would help us achieve that objective," referring to complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization.

The extracts of the interview were made available Saturday prior to its broadcast at 10 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time).

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (AP)

Pompeo met with Kim on his secret visit to Pyongyang from March 30-April 1 to prepare for a summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump, who said the summit might happen within three to four weeks.

Calling Kim "very well prepared," Pompeo said, "I hope I matched that."

"We talked about serious matters. ... I had a clear mission statement from President Trump. When I left, Kim Jong Un understood the mission exactly as I described it today," he said, adding, "Only time will tell if we can get that done." (Yonhap)