Pompeo Dismissive of NKorea's 'Gangster' Accusations: 'If US Is Gangster-Like, Then the World Is a Gangster'

North Korea may be accusing the United States delegation of a gangster-like mentality during their talks on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, but that's not worrying US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

"If the United States is being accused of gangster-like behavior, then the world is a gangster," Pompeo told the press in North Korea. 

Pompeo said the United Nations has signed off on the best way to achieve denuclearization, and that means no relief of economic sanctions on North Korea until there is full verifiable evidence the North is willing to get rid of its nuclear weapons.

The North Koreans have agreed to a meeting on July 12 at the DMZ (demilitarized zone), which is a border barrier that divides the Korean Peninsula roughly in half, to talk about returning the remains of US servicemen killed in action during the Korean War. 

During that meeting, leaders will also address the destruction of a missile-testing facility in North Korea, which was first brought up during the summit in Singapore.

The return of remains of US troops who went missing during the 1950-53 Korean War could help build trust between North Korea and the United States, Pompeo said on Monday.

"This same act 45 (years) ago built trust between our nations. Today we have a strong relationship," Pompeo said on Twitter. "DPRK committed to repatriate remains as well."

DPRK is short for Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official title.

About 7,700 US military personnel remain unaccounted from the Korean War, US military data shows.

According to the Pentagon, North Korean officials have indicated in the past that they have the remains of as many as 200 US troops.

More than 36,500 US troops died in the conflict.