U.S. has not heard back from N.K. about summit: Tillerson

WASHINGTON, March 12 (Yonhap) -- The United States has yet to hear back from North Korea about its proposal for a summit, which President Donald Trump accepted last week, Washington's top diplomat said Monday.

Trump accepted the invitation Thursday, saying he would meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un by May to achieve the permanent denuclearization of the regime, according to the South Korean envoy who served as an intermediary between Washington and Pyongyang.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was on a trip to Africa when the announcement was made.

"It's very early stages," he told reporters in Abuja, Nigeria, according to the AP. "We've not heard anything directly back from North Korea, although we expect to hear something directly from them."

Tillerson was also quoted as saying that the venue has yet to be agreed upon, but "it's going to be very important that those conversations are held quietly."

The AFP added that the secretary urged patience, saying "there will be several steps (which) will be necessary to agree on the location and the scope of those discussions."

The May summit would be the first between a sitting U.S. president and a North Korean leader.

Tillerson was due to return to Washington later in the day after cutting his Africa trip short amid speculation it was to prepare for the unprecedented meeting.

hague@yna.co.kr
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