US Attempted to Put Brakes on Economic Cooperation Between Two Koreas - Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United States has contacted four major South Korean companies that sent their representatives to inter-Korean talks in Pyongyang last month to slow down the economic cooperation between Seoul and Pyongyang, local media reported on Wednesday citing a South Korean presidential administration source.

The source confirmed that Samsung, Hyundai Motor, LG and SK conglomerates were among the companies contacted by the US Embassy in Seoul to "discern the status of the cooperation projects" discussed during the visit of their executives to North Korea in September, according to the Korea JoongAng Daily newspaper.

"It appears that the US government, along with the objective of grasping the situation in regard to North Korea-related projects, is attempting to synchronize the speed between the South and the United States ahead of North-US denuclearization negotiations," the source said as quoted by the newspaper.

READ MORE: US Envoy Asks Seoul's Help to Organize New US-North Korea Summit — Press Service

The South Korean Yonhap news agency reported on Monday citing a diplomatic source that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo might meet with his North Korean counterpart in the United States next week as the two sides are preparing for a new top-level summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.