The United States will explore diplomacy with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and adopt a "practical approach," the White House said on Friday.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters aboard Air Force One that the administration of President Joe Biden had completed its policy review on the DPRK.
"Our policy will not focus on achieving a grand bargain, nor will it rely on strategic patience," she said. "Our policy calls for a calibrated practical approach that is open to and will explore diplomacy with the DPRK and to make practical progress that increases the security of the United States, our allies, and deployed forces."
The terms "strategic patience" and "grand bargain" refer to U.S. policies toward the DPRK under the administrations of former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump respectively.
Republican Trump held three summit meetings with top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un but achieved no breakthrough other than a pause in nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests that has lasted since 2017.
His predecessor Obama, a Democrat, refused serious diplomatic engagement with the DPRK without any steps by Pyongyang to reduce tensions.
Psaki reaffirmed that the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula remains the policy goal, noting "the efforts of the past four administrations have not achieved this objective."
She added that the U.S. would continue to consult with the Republic of Korea (ROK), Japan, and other allies and partners on this issue.
Biden last month told reporters that the DPRK was the top foreign policy issue for his administration. The White House said the new administration had reached out to Pyongyang through several channels but had not yet received any response.
DPRK First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui said in March that Pyongyang would ignore the U.S. outreach until Washington "rolls back its hostile policy."
Denuclearization talks between Pyongyang and Washington have stalled since the summit talks between Kim and Trump ended fruitless at the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi in February 2019.
An official of the ROK Foreign Ministry said Saturday that Seoul will continue to coordinate with Washington to revive the stalled denuclearization talks, Yonhap reported.
"South Korea (ROK) and the U.S. will continue consultations over the North Korea (DPRK) policy on the occasion of their leaders' summit scheduled for this month and meetings of their foreign ministers," the official said.
ROK President Moon Jae-in will visit the White House on May 21 for a meeting with Biden.
(With input from agencies)
(Cover: An avenue decorated with national flags in Pyongyang, capital of the DPRK, September 8, 2018. /Xinhua)