Kim Myong Gil, chief nuclear negotiator of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump's suggestion that a "new method" be used in talks on Pyongyang's weapons programs on Friday.

Kim praised Trump's "wise political determination" to seek a new approach to the stalled talks without a "troublemaker" in the U.S. administration – an apparent reference to John Bolton, Trump's hawkish former national security advisor who resigned last week.

"I welcome... President Trump's wise political determination to approach the DPRK-U.S. relations in a more practical perspective," he told the DPRK's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "I expect the U.S. side to come up with a proper calculation in the U.S.-DPRK negotiations, which will take place soon, and I want to be optimistic about their results."

Trump's efforts to engage with the DPRK nearly fell apart in February after he followed Bolton's advice at a second summit in Hanoi and handed Kim a piece of paper urging Pyongyang to transfer nuclear weapons and bomb fuel to the United States.

The DPRK has denounced Bolton, who advocated using military force to topple the leadership of Pyongyang, as a "war maniac" and "human scum."

Trump has said Bolton made mistakes, including offending DPRK leader Kim Jong Un by demanding that he follow a "Libyan model" and hand over all his nuclear weapons.

The Libyan model, calling for the DPRK to unilaterally take apart its nuclear weapons program before receiving any compromises in return and has caused the wrath of Pyongyang.

Trump said on Wednesday that Bolton's suggestion for the Libyan model "set us back very badly," while his diplomacy with the DPRK resulted in a freeze in nuclear tests and the return of remains of U.S. soldiers missing in the 1950-53 Korean War.

"So I think John really should take a look at how badly they've done in the past and maybe a new method would be very good," Trump told reporters during a visit to a border wall in California.

"At the moment I am not quite sure what he implied in his suggestion of 'new method' but to me it seems he wanted to imply that a step-by-step solution starting with the things feasible first while building trust in each other would be the best option," Kim said in a statement carried by the KCNA.

The talks have stalled since the failed summit but the DPRK has offered a fresh round of meetings.

The statement also formally confirmed Kim as DPRK's new chief negotiator, who will act as counterpart to U.S. Special Representative Stephen Biegun.

In an interview with CGTN on Friday, Stanford University Professor Siegfried Hecker said now is the time for the U.S. to re-engage with the DPRK.

"Do they (the DPRK) have the ability to put a nuclear warhead on an ICBM (inter-continental ballistic missile) and a ballistic missile?" Hecker said. "I don't think so. It takes some testing – both missile tests and nuclear tests. That's why the engagement is important. That's why it's important to stop that process."

On Thursday, the top nuclear envoy of the Republic of Korea (ROK) said the U.S. and the DPRK could resume denuclearization negotiations soon as the two sides remain in constant communication.

"It's possible it will happen soon," Lee Do-hoon told reporters at Washington's Dulles International Airport. "The New York channel is always open, so I understand that they can communicate whenever they need to."

(With input from Reuters)

(Cover: DPRK leader Kim Jong Un (R) and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in Panmunjom, June 30, 2019. /VCG Photo)