US, North Korea in regular communication for resumption of denuclearisation talks: official

The United States and North Korea are in regular communication for the resumption of working-level talks to revive denuclearisation negotiations, and are working on establishing a time and location for the meet, a senior US State Department official said on Friday.

"While we would like to be further along in restarting working-level negotiations, we are in regular contact with the North Koreans," the official said, according to a transcript released by the State Department.

"And I think it's fair to say that (President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo) are expecting that we will be resuming those negotiations relatively soon," he added, as cited by Yonhap news agency.

The official added that the US has not changed its goal of denuclearising North Korea in exchange for a "brighter future", meaning sanctions relief and other concessions.

On June 30, Trump and Kim had held an impromptu meeting at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) where the two leaders agreed to resume working-level talks to put denuclearisation talks back on track.

However, North Korea has warned that the future of talks will depend on whether South Korea and the US will go ahead with the joint military exercises planned for next month.

In the past 8 days, North Korea has conducted three tests of projectiles, including short-range ballistic missiles, signalling its displeasure with South Korea-U.S. military exercises planned for this month.