By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 (Yonhap) -- The State Department reiterated Monday that the United States remains open to talks with North Korea "without preconditions," a day after President Donald Trump said he has ordered the Pentagon to reduce South Korea-U.S. military exercises in what appears to be a conciliatory gesture toward Pyongyang.

"President Trump has made clear, the United States remains open to dialogue with North Korea without preconditions," a spokesperson at the department said.

The spokesperson was responding to Yonhap News Agency's questions about whether there are any State Department-level efforts to resume diplomacy with Pyongyang, and whether the department is considering appointing a new special representative for North Korea.

On the question about the special envoy post, the official said, "We have no personnel announcements to make at this time."

Trump's directive on joint exercises came amid speculation that he might seek to rekindle his personal diplomacy with Kim.

Trump had three in-person meetings with Kim during his first term: the first meeting in Singapore in June 2018, the second in Hanoi in February 2019 and the third at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom in June 2019.

sshluck@yna.co.kr

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