Pompeo optimistic after North Korea meetings, but lacks details on a summit — live updates

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he doesn't know if the U.S. will know Friday whether a summit with North Korea will happen June 12th, after meeting with top North Korean official Kim Yong Chol in New York City. But Pompeo was relatively optimistic as he briefed reporters on Friday.

"Don't know," Pompeo said, asked about if the public will know this week whether the summit is happening June 12. He added that "real progress" has been made in the last 72 hours.

Pompeo, who is helping spearhead conversations ahead of a possible summit with North Korea next month, met with Kim for dinner Wednesday night. Mr. Trump and top administration officials have been more optimistic since the president called off the summit last week.

Pompeo stressed that the goal of the U.S. is total, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the peninsula, but Pompeo did not say whether North Korea has made sufficient commitments to the U.S. towards that end ahead of such a summit. Pompeo has meet with Kim Jong Un twice.

"It will take bold leadership from Chairman Kim Jong Un if we are able to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change the course for the world," Pompeo said. "President Trump and I believe Chairman Kim is the kind of leader who can make those kinds of decisions. And that in the coming weeks and months, we will have the opportunity to test whether or not this is the case."

The secretary of state said Kim Yong Chul is expected to deliver a letter to Mr. Trump in Washington on Friday, although he did not allude to what those contents hold. Pompeo will join Mr. Trump at the White House Friday, according to a State Department official.

-- CBS News' Kylie Atwood contributed to this report.

Updates from Mike Pompeo's earlier North Korea briefing:

Will there be a summit next month? Pompeo says, "Don't know"

Pompeo, asked head-on whether there will be a summit as previously planned on June 12, said, "Don't know."

But he said real progress has been made in the last 72 hours.

Pompeo says path won't be "straightforward"

Pompeo said no one should be surprised by seeming bumps in the road, on the path hopefully towards denuclearization.

"Our mission is incredibly clear," Pompeo said.

"This is going to be a process that will take days and weeks to work our way through," he added.

The goal is to "convince" North Korea of what Trump has said, Pompeo says

Pompeo said the goal is to "convince" North Korea of the things that Mr. Trump has said about denuclearization and the possible economic success of North Korea if that happens.

"'We've had lots of conversations around that. The true test of course comes" when denuclearization is actually achieved," Pompeo said.

Pompeo doesn't directly answer whether U.S. demands of N.K. were met

Pompeo did not directly answer a question as to whether the commitments the U.S. is asking for were met, after meetings with Kim Yong Chol.

"We didn't end the talks early. We had a set series of items that we wanted to make sure we covered," Pompeo said.

"This is a difficult, difficult challenge, make no mistake about it. There remains a great deal of work to do," he added.

Pompeo says U.S. still has "eyes wide open"

Despite those goals, Pompeo said he and other U.S. officials still have "eyes wide open" as they hope for a summit.

Pompeo "confident" we are moving in the "right direction"

Pompeo, taking the podium, said he is "confident" they are moving in the "right direction" after talks with North Korea's Kim Yong Chul.

Pompeo said he has been "very clear" that the goal of the U.S. is the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the peninsula. If that happens, Pompeo said he has also been clear about the hope for a prosperous North Korea.

"We sincerely hope that Kim Jong Un shares this positive vision for the future," he said.

Pompeo about to speak

Pompeo is expected to step up to the podium at any moment, with the room packed with journalists.

Trump says North Koreans will deliver him a letter

Mr. Trump told reporters Thursday North Korea is expected to deliver him a letter from Kim Jong Un on Friday in Washington. It's unclear what that letter might contain.

Pompeo tweets about "good progress" made

On Thursday afternoon, Pompeo tweeted that "good progress" was being made in meetings with the North Koreans.

"Good progress today during our meetings with Kim Yong Chol and his team," Pompeo tweeted. "#NorthKorea and the world would benefit greatly from the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

North Korea summit update

On Fox News Thursday morning, White House deputy press secretary Raj Shah said the summit is still expected to take place June 12, and Mr. Trump tweeted that meetings with North Korea were going well.

The president also told Reuters Thursday that it might take more than one meeting to make a deal to denuclearize the Korean peninsula. He also said he's expecting a letter from Kim Jong Un to be delivered by Kim Yong Chol Friday.