U.S. envoy to hold talks in DPRK on Wednesday
Updated 12:15, 05-Feb-2019
CGTN
["china"]
The U.S. special envoy for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Stephen Biegun will visit Pyongyang from Seoul on Wednesday to meet with his newly appointed counterpart, Kim Hyok Chol, and to prepare for a summit later this month between President Donald Trump and the DPRK leader Kim Jong Un, the U.S. State Department said on Monday.
The meeting also aims to "advance further progress on the commitments the President and Chairman Kim made in Singapore: complete denuclearization, transforming U.S.-DPRK relations, and building a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula," read the statement.
Biegun held talks with Republic of Korean officials in Seoul on Sunday and Monday. 
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The U.S. envoy said last week he aimed in working-level negotiations with Kim Hyok Chol to map out "a set of concrete deliverables" for the second summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un.
Biegun said he would be aiming for "a roadmap of negotiations and declarations going forward, and a shared understanding of the desired outcomes of our joint efforts."
On Thursday, Biegun said Kim Jong Un had committed during an October visit by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to the dismantling and destruction of his country's plutonium and uranium enrichment facilities in return for "corresponding measures" from the United States.
Biegun said such corresponding steps would be the subject of this week's talks and Washington was willing to discuss "many actions" to improve ties and entice Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons. At the same time, he set out an extensive list of demands, including full disclosure of the DPRK's arms program.
Trump on Thursday hailed "tremendous progress" in his dealings with the DPRK and said the date and location of a second summit would be announced “early next week” - probably during his State of the Union speech on Tuesday.
Vietnam's central resort town of Danang is considered as the most likely location.
(Cover: US envoy for the DPRK Stephen Biegun (R) arrives at Incheon international airport, February 3, 2019. /VCG Photo)
(With input from Reuters)