North Korea is willing to return to denuclearization talks with the U.S. in late September, vice foreign minister Choe Son Hui said on Monday.

In a statement carried by the North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the DPRK official indicated Pyongyang was aware of the U.S.’ recent calls for talks.

“We have willingness to sit with the U.S. side for comprehensive discussions of the issues we have so far taken up at the time and place to be agreed late in September,” Choe said.

North Korea’s first vice-minister of Foreign Affairs indicated that Pyongyang had noted a possible change in Washington’s