North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has acknowledged for the first time his country’s contacts with the United States, Reuters reported Monday, citing the North’s official news agency KCNA.
According to the report, Kim chaired a party meeting where he analyzed the future outcome of dialogue with the United States and development of inter-Korean relations ahead of a summit with South Korea on April 27.
KCNA added that Kim Jong Un set "strategic and tactical issues" to be upheld by his powerful Workers' Party.
U.S. President Donald Trump recently agreed to a meeting with Kim, to be held by the end of May. On Monday, he said he expects to meet Kim next month or in early June.
"I think there will be great respect paid by both parties and hopefully there will be a deal on denuking," he told reporters at the White House.
"Hopefully it will be a relationship that will be much different than it has been for many, many years," added Trump.
Reports on Sunday indicated that North Korean officials had told their American counterparts that Kim is ready to discuss denuclearization.
It is the first time the offer was made directly to Washington, after it was previously conveyed through South Korean national security adviser Chung Eui-yong.
North Korea has been seeking to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.
In the most recent of its ongoing missile tests, North Korea launched a Hwasong-15 missile, a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) which officials said can fly over 13,000 km (8,080 miles).
Pyongyang said following the launch that it had test-fired its most advanced missile, putting the U.S. mainland within range, and also declared itself to be "a responsible nuclear power".