Tillerson to put pressure on N Korea at UN briefing

United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will look to rally United Nations Security Council members to put pressure on North Korea for denuclearisation.

According to a State Department spokeswoman, Heather Nauert, Tillerson is set to participate in a Security Council Ministerial Briefing regarding North Korea's nuclear weapons programme on Friday.

He will reaffirm Trump administration's push for "maximum pressure" on North Korea to give up its weapons programmes, Nauert said, in a statement on Wednesday.

Earlier, Tillerson had said the US was prepared to open up talks with North Korea "without precondition," and that the reclusive country's nuclear programme did not have to be on the table during an initial meeting.

The White House, however, later distanced itself from the above-mentioned assertion.

US Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump administration's stance toward North Korea had not changed.

Meanwhile, Nauert added that in order for the talks to be possible, North Korea would have to cease nuclear and missile tests for a period of time. Pyongyang has not signalled any interest in doing so, The Hill quoted her, as saying.

"Kim Jong Un is not showing any level of seriousness about sitting down and having conversations right now," Nauert said.