Pompeo trashes N Korea's 'gangster' remark on denuclearization

Reacting to North Korea's "gangster-like demand" by the United States on denuclearisation, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the talks went well and were productive.

"If those requests were gangster-like, the world is a gangster," CNN quoted Pompeo, as saying.

Furthermore, he noted that the United Nations Security Council was also clear on what North Korea needs to achieve.

He also said that he had a word with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts - Taro Kono and Kang Kyung-Wha on the outcome of the two-day talks in Pyongyang.

Pompeo underscored that unless North Korea dismantled its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programme, the US sanctions would remain in place.

"We had detailed, substantive conversations about the next steps toward a fully verified and complete denuclearization," he said.

Pompeo, who is currently in Hanoi, Vietnam, remarked that the country experienced an "incredible rise" in development in the last few decades due to "a new engagement with the US."

He then invoked North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, saying that Pyongyang could follow Hanoi's path.

"It's yours if you'll seize the moment. The miracle can be yours," Pompeo noted.

Pompeo's remarks came barely a day after North Korea expressed disappointment over the attitude of US officials on denuclearisation, calling it "regrettable and really disappointing."

In a statement by an unnamed foreign ministry spokesman, carried by North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Pyongyang criticised Washington D.C. for "seeking unilateral and forced and "gangster-like demand for denuclearisation", Yonhap News Agency reported.

"The US just came out with such unilateral, robber-like denuclearisation demands as CVID (complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement), declaration and verification that go against the spirit of the North Korean-US summit meeting," the spokesperson said.

North Korea's statement is apparently not in sync with the US as Pompeo said that there was progress being made on North Korea's denuclearisation exercise.

He added that "there's still more work to be done" to achieve the process dismantling North Korea's nuclear weapon and ballistic missiles programme.

Calling the talks "very productive", Pompeo told media that he "spent a good time" talking about denuclearisation.