U.S. says North Korea policy unchanged after nuclear remark raises eyebrows

FILE PHOTO: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks during a visit to the Central Officers School of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this undated photo released on October 18, 2022 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA via REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Friday its policy towards North Korea had not changed after a senior U.S. official responsible for nuclear policy raised some eyebrows by saying Washington would be willing to engage in arms-control talks with Pyongyang.

Some experts argue that recognizing North Korea as a nuclear-armed state, something Pyongyang seeks, is a prerequisite for such talks. But Washington has long argued that the North Korean nuclear program is illegal and subject to United Nations sanctions.