Fundamental differences

The stalemate of recent months has revealed fundamental differences. Pyongyang says it will never unilaterally surrender its nuclear weapons and missiles and insists that US-led sanctions against it should be lifted first before any progress in negotiations. The Trump administration has vowed to maintain robust economic pressure until Pyongyang takes real steps toward "full, verifiable denuclearization".

In a statement released through state media, Choe Son-hui, the DPRK's first vice-foreign minister, said the two nations will have preliminary contact on Friday before holding working-level talks on Saturday. She did not say where that contact would take place.

"It is my expectation that the working-level negotiations would accelerate the positive development of the DPRK-US relations," Choe said in the statement.

Last month, Pyongyang praised Trump for suggesting Washington may pursue an unspecified "new method" in the negotiations. It also has welcomed Trump's decision to fire the hawkish John Bolton from his post as national security adviser. Bolton had advocated a "Libya model" of unilateral denuclearization as a template for the DPRK.

The 2004 disarmament of Libya is seen by Pyongyang as a deeply provocative comparison because Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi was killed following US-supported military action in his country seven years after giving up a rudimentary nuclear program that was far less advanced than Pyongyang's.

The office of ROK President Moon Jae-in, who lobbied hard to set up the first summit between Kim and Trump last year in Singapore, welcomed Choe's announcement and expressed hope the resumed talks would result in "substantial progress" in denuclearization and peace.

Agencies - Xinhua