The US government announced that they are ready to consider proposal for talks by North Korea, two days before the meeting between the US, Japan and South Korea in Washington about the Korean Peninsula. However, the US indicated that North Korea must have specific measures to end its nuclear program. Spokeswoman for US State Department Jen Psaki said that the US will respond to North Korea’s proposal only if Pyongyang takes “meaningful steps” towards denuclearization verified by international community. Psaki said that the US considers negotiations with North Korea as a part of six-party negotiation.
Previously, North Korea proposed bilateral high-level talks with the US without preconditions, hoping to further discussion on Korean Peninsula issues. The latest high-level talks between the US and North Korea was held in February 2012 which led to an agreement on canceling nuclear and missile tests in exchange for food aid from the US. This agreement was nullified after one month when Pyongyang conducted a satellite launch, that the US considered as a long-range missile test.         

A military training course in North Korea (Source: Kyodo)