Pompeo says North Korea talks have not resumed as quickly as hoped

WASHINGTON: The United States has not returned to the negotiation table with North Korea as quickly as it had hoped, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday, but he added that Washington knew there would be 'bumps on the road' in the denuclearization talks.

Speaking in an interview with CBS, Pompeo said Washington was concerned about North Korea's firing of short-range missiles. "I wish they would not," he said, referring to the tests.

The latest of the missile tests by North Korea was carried out on Friday as Pyongyang fired two more short-range projectiles into the sea off its east coast.

The launches have complicated attempts to restart talks between US and North Korean negotiators over the future of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.

Those denuclearization talks have been stalled despite a commitment to revive them that was made at a June 30 meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

"We haven't gotten back to the table as quickly as we hoped but we've been pretty clear all along, we knew there would be bums along the way," Pompeo said.

He added that Stephen Biegun, US special envoy for North Korea, was in the region on Tuesday and Wednesday, but did not elaborate on the details of his trip. The State Department said last week that Biegun would travel to Japan and Seoul this week.