WASHINGTON, Mar 11 (Agencies): Senior US diplomats said here on Monday that America keeps diplomacy "very much alive" with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the leaders of the two countries remain "open to the dialogue."
"The diplomacy is still very much alive," said Stephen Biegun, US special representative for the DPRK, at the Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference.
"We stay closely engaged with our counterparts in North Korea," the envoy added.
US President Donald Trump and the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Un held their second summit in Hanoi on Feb. 27-28 without reaching an agreement.
Nevertheless, the White House said later the two leaders had "very good and constructive meetings" and discussed various ways to "advance denuclearization and economic driven concepts.
US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Andrea Thompson, also attending the same event as Biegun, floated the idea of a third Trump-Kim meeting.
The two leaders "remain open to the dialogue," said Thompson, adding that "they haven't got a date on the calendar but our teams continue to work towards that."
Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have also repeatedly expressed Washington's willingness to continue the conversation with Pyongyang.
North Korea must not use a possible rocket launch as leverage in negotiations with the US, a South Korean presidential adviser said on Tuesday, saying such a move could be "catastrophic" for global diplomacy on its nuclear program.
US-based websites recently released satellite photographs indicating North Korea has restored structures at a long-range rocket launch facility that it dismantled last year at the start of diplomacy with the United States. Other satellite images show increased activities by vehicles at a separate North Korean facility used to manufacture missiles, and rockets for satellite launches.
Some experts say these suggest North Korea may be assembling a long-range rocket to carry out a banned satellite launch following the breakdown of last month's North Korea-U.S. summit in Hanoi.
Moon Chung-in, a retired university professor who is now a special adviser to President Moon Jae-in, said North Korea's use of a rocket launch or other nuclear activities as a bargaining chip would be a "bad move."
Moon Chung-in said such a North Korean move could eventually cause a "catastrophic" consequence or a "big disaster" in U.S.-North Korea diplomacy. "I wonder if North Korea should avoid" such an action, Moon said in a panel discussion.
He said both North Korea and the U.S. must restrain themselves to keep diplomacy alive and start unofficial contacts to resume talks. He said the Hanoi summit showed how "difficult" and "painful" it will be to achieve denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Also Tuesday, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said it is worried about the developments at North Korea's rocket launch site, and that Seoul and Washington have been closely monitoring the area. "We hope the North side will make a wise decision ... which would benefit all," ministry spokesman Kim In-chul told reporters.
Speaking about the reported activities at the North Korean site, President Donald Trump told reporters last week that "I would be very disappointed if that were happening." He said it was "a very early report" and that "we'll see what happens. We'll take a look. It will ultimately get solved."
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