U.S. Envoy Voices Optimism Ahead of North Korea Nuclear Summit

Central to the meeting in Vietnam is what the U.S. might offer Kim in return for concrete steps to relinquish his nuclear arsenal

Andrew Jeong and

Timothy W. Martin

Feb. 8, 2019 10:52 p.m. ET

SEOUL—The U.S. special envoy for North Korea concluded three days of nuclear-disarmament talks in Pyongyang ahead of the second summit between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, scheduled for this month in Vietnam, expressing confidence that “real progress” was possible if both sides remain committed.

Stephen Biegun, one of Washington’s top nuclear negotiators, held talks with North Korean officials from Wednesday through Friday, the first public visit to Pyongyang by a senior U.S. official since October....