President Donald Trump sent North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a personal letter, and the U.S. is ready to restart talks with Pyongyang "at a moment's notice," Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said.
Speaking to reporters in Washington before departing on Sunday for a multi-nation trip that will take him first to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and India, Pompeo confirmed news reports that Trump had sent the letter.
The missive had "excellent content," and Kim, along with his military, read it with "satisfaction," KCNA reported on Saturday.
Pompeo said the U.S. has been preparing for additional talks with North Korea since two previous summits between Trump and Kim, including one in February in Hanoi, Vietnam, failed to secure a deal for North Korea to denuclearize.
"I'm hopeful that this will provide a good foundation for us to continue these important discussions with the North Koreans to denuclearize the peninsula," Pompeo said of Trump's letter. "We're literally prepared to begin at a moment's notice if the North Koreans indicate that they're prepared for those discussions."
The South Korea government said in statement on Sunday that it was aware of the letter and "sees the exchange of letters between the heads of North Korea and the U.S. as the two countries continuing the momentum of talks, and judges it positively."
_ With assistance from Maria Jose Valero.
