Trump says South Korea to make 'major statement' at 1pm

US President Donald Trump during a cabinet meeting at the White House yesterday. Photo / AP

US President Donald Trump said South Korea will be making a "major statement" about North Korea at 7pm (1pm NZT).

After his teasing announcement to reporters, Trump was asked whether the announcement would be about talks with North Korea and he told ABC reporter Jon Karl: "It's almost beyond that. Hopefully, you will give me credit."

Trump spoke after South Korean officials briefed the White House on the outcome of their pathfinding meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Seoul has already publicised that North Korea offered talks with the United States on denuclearisation and normalising ties, a potential diplomatic opening after a year of escalating tensions over the North's nuclear and missile tests. The rival Koreas also agreed to hold a leadership summit in late April.

Top Trump administration officials got a chance to hear firsthand from South Korean national security director, Chung Eui-yong, who led the delegation that went to Pyongyang and met Kim on Monday.

Chung told reporters on Tuesday that he received a message from North Korea intended for the United States, but didn't disclose what it was. According to Chung, the North also agreed to suspend nuclear and missile tests during such future talks — a longstanding US demand.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the South Korean statement, flagged by Trump in his surprise appearance in the press briefing room, would be made by Chung.

On Tuesday, Trump had expressed both hope and scepticism about the reported offer of talks, which has yet to be confirmed, at least publicly, by the isolated North Korean government. While the path to a diplomatic resolution over the North's nuclear arsenal would be long and difficult, talks could dampen fears of war breaking out over what represents an emerging threat to the US mainland.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said yesterday in Ethiopia that the US has seen "potentially positive signals" from North Korea, but the adversaries are still a long way from holding negotiations.

- AP