The image captured from the website of the US Department of State shows spokesman Ned Price answering questions at a press briefing at the State Department in Washington on Thursday. (US Department of State)
WASHINGTON -- The United States hopes for a constructive response from North Korea as it remains willing to engage with the reclusive nation anytime and anywhere, a State Department spokesman said Thursday.
The remarks from spokesman Ned Price come after the US special envoy for North Korea, Sung Kim, said his country is ready to meet with the North "anytime, anywhere without preconditions."
"Ambassador Kim, our special envoy for the DPRK, has recently been in the Republic of Korea, where he met with South Korean officials," the spokesman said in a daily press briefing, referring to South Korea by its official name. DPRK is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
"He (Kim) reiterated there that we are prepared anytime, anywhere to engage in diplomacy with the DPRK, and we're awaiting constructive response from the DPRK," Price added.
The latest US overture from Kim followed at least two US attempts to reach out to the North in February and again when its extensive review of North Korea policy came to an end in April.
Pyongyang remains unresponsive to US overtures while North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister, Yo-jong, has said US hopes for dialogue will face a "greater disappointment."
Price said the US continues to believe dialogue is the best way to move forward on the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
"We believe that through practical, clear-eyed engagement with our allies and partners and with the DPRK, we can achieve progress on what remains our goal and that is ultimately the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. That's what we're focused on," he said. (Yonhap)
