Talks between the United States and North Korea have opened up in New York in an effort to normalize diplomatic relations between the two countries for the first time in 50 years. The talks come just three weeks after North Korea agreed to abandon part of its nuclear program. Meanwhile, IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei is preparing for a landmark trip to North Korea.

Mohamed ElBaradei: “I welcome obviously both the Beijing agreement and the invitation to go to DPRK. This is obviously an important step in the right direction. This file has been going from bad to worse in the last five to 10 years, and this is the first time we see now a concrete step to reverse course and to hopefully work collectively as an international community towards the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and towards a comprehensive settlement.”