CIA Director Mike Pompeo (left) and North Korean President Kim Jong-un (Photo: Reuters)

Last Thursday Pompeo told the US Senate that the government is responsible for preventing Pyongyang from threatening Washington with nuclear weapons. He ruled out regime change in North Korea, adding that direct confrontation must be avoided.

The White House said Tuesday that the US and North Korea have already organized top level meetings, but the countries’ leaders not yet had any direct conversation.