South Korea's Moon says North Korea-U.S. talks 'on track', how does it work?

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Thursday that North Korea's criticism of the United States after recent talks on nuclear industry was part of its strategy and negotiations on the "right track".

North Korea accused the United States on Saturday of making " gangster-like "demands in the talks in North Korea late last week, contradicting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who said the old enemies had made progress.

Moon, speaking in Singapore with its president and prime minister, said that talks on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula between North Korea and the United States may face hurdles and take time, his office said.

"No one can be optimistic about the results, but my future outlook is that the negotiations would be able to succeed in the North carry out a complete denuclearization, and the international community gathers efforts to provide security assurances to the North," Moon said.

The North's criticism was a "strategy" meant to show its frustration about what it sees as a lack of action in the United States.

The North has invited foreign journalists, but not experts as promised, to the dismantling of a nuclear site, and pledged to close a missile engine testing facility.

The United States and South Korea have halted annual joint military exercises that North Korea has for years objected to.

Pompeo also said the two sides had agreed to hold talks on Thursday at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom on the repatriation of the remains of Americans killed in the 1950-53 Korean War.

But no one showed up from the North, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said, quoting a government official.

Moon said North Korea wanted the United States to take action to end hostile relations and build trust, Moon said.

He said he saw a big difference in North Korea's attitudes to talks. In the past, it had asked for sanctions relief and economic concessions first, he said.