A U.S. news Web site says that the Trump administration has presented North Korea with a formal timeline for starting the process of denuclearization, but Pyongyang has rejected it several times.
Quoting two people familiar with the nuclear negotiations between the two sides, Vox reported on Wednesday that Washington presented the plan that North Korea hands over 60 to 70 percent of its nuclear warheads within six to eight months. The U.S. or a third party would then take possession of them and remove them from the North.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has reportedly presented the plan to North Korean negotiators multiple times over the past two months, but the North’s delegation, led by senior official Kim Yong-chol, has turned down Pompeo’s proposal each time.
The report said that it is unclear what concessions, if any, the U.S. would offer in exchange beyond sanctions relief or removing North Korea from the state sponsors of terrorism list.
It also said that even if the North did agree to the U.S.’ timeline and handed over what it says is 60 to 70 percent of its arsenal, it would be difficult to verify that as Pyongyang has not yet disclosed exactly how many nuclear bombs it has.