Seoul , South Korea ( CNN ) -- U.S. President Barack Obama , meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak in Seoul on Thursday , said he will send envoy Stephen Bosworth to North Korea next month for bilateral talks on dismantling Pyongyang 's nuclear program . `` If North Korea is prepared to take concrete and irreversible steps to fulfill its obligations and eliminate its nuclear weapons program , the United States will support economic assistance and help promote its full integration into the community of nations , '' Obama said . `` That opportunity and respect will not come with threats . North Korea must live up to its obligations . '' Bosworth 's trip is slated for December 8 . `` Convincing North Korea to give up their nuclear program , it is not a simple matter , '' according to Lee , who said there 's no deadline , at the joint news conference with Obama . `` It 's not going to be easy , but I believe it is possible that we can resolve this issue peacefully . '' The development comes at the end of the U.S. president 's tour of Asia , which included stops in Japan , Singapore and China before his visit to South Korea . In recent weeks North Korea has sought direct talks with the United States in what American officials saw as a possible re-entry to full negotiations with the United States and other countries over ending Pyongyang 's nuclear program . A Bosworth mission had already been announced , but a date was not previously mentioned publicly . The United States has been careful to describe the trip as only a limited diplomatic foray and one not designed to replace the fuller negotiations . `` From our standpoint , the purpose will be to facilitate the early resumption of the six-party talks , '' P.J . Crowley said at a U.S. State Department briefing last week . The so-called six-party talks on North Korea 's nuclear program had come to a standstill . But the Bosworth trip could lead to new negotiations between North Korea and the United States , South Korea , Japan and Russia and China . `` We are very realistic about our expectations , '' he said . `` We come to this meeting prepared to engage North Korea in the context of the six-party talks , but obviously the bottom line here is that North Korea has to take affirmative steps toward denuclearization . That remains our core objective . ''
United States careful to describe Bosworth trip as only limited diplomatic foray . In recent weeks North Korea has sought direct talks with the United States . Envoy Bosworth 's visit to North Korea slated for December 8 . 2017 could lead to new negotiations and move six - party talks away from Seoul .