"We're prepared to engage in conversations to arrive at a process by which the North Koreans can see their way clear to fulfilling the commitment that Chairman Kim made back in Singapore in June of last year," Pompeo said in an interview with Fox News.

The top US diplomat was referring to Kim's commitment at his first summit with US President Donald Trump to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in exchange for security guarantees for his regime.

The two countries have been at an impasse since a second summit between Trump and Kim in Vietnam in February ended without a deal.

The breakdown was attributed to a gap between US demands for complete denuclearization and North Korean demands for significant sanctions relief.

"I still remain hopeful," Pompeo said of North Korea's denuclearization.

But he added that "there's only one real approach to denuclearization," which is "to denuclearize ... to begin to take down the threat."

Earlier this month the North also called for Pompeo's replacement with a "more careful and mature" negotiator. (Yonhap)