I will ensure North Korea honours nuclear commitments, vows Pompeo

MIKE POMPEO, the US Secretary of State, vowed to get North Korea to make specific commitments towards “total” denuclearisation during the first day of his trip to Pyongyang yesterday.

Mr Pompeo is aiming to leave his third trip to the North Korean capital with the promise of concrete action from Kim Jong-un following the North Korean leader’s summit with Donald Trump, the US president, last month.

“On this trip, I’m seeking to fill in some details on these commitments and continue the momentum toward implementation of what the two leaders promised each other and the world. I expect that the DPRK [North Korea] is ready to do the same,” Mr Pompeo said.

One key aim of the trip is thought to be the return of the remains of US troops killed during the 1950-53 Korean War.

Both sides have suggested Pyongyang is willing to turn over dozens if not hundreds of soldiers’ remains.

Doubts over the North’s intentions have grown amid reports it is continuing to expand facilities related to its nuclear and missile programmes and questions over how willing the North Korean dictator is to give up his nuclear arsenal.

Mr Trump has been criticised for suspending large-scale US military drills with South Korea before failing to receive a firm time-frame for the North’s denuclearisation process.

Last night South Korean officials claimed North Korea appeared to be developing a new submarine capable of launching nuclear-armed ballistic missiles. Satellite imagery reviewed by the country’s intelligence officials suggested North Korea is constructing the submarine in a facility on the east coast of the country, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Mr Pompeo yesterday met with Kim Yong Chol, a senior official, for his first round of talks. It was not clear if Mr Pompeo would meet directly with Kim Jong-un, as he had done previously.