The United States should consider alternative ways to deal with North Korea, including relaxing its requirement that the North prove its intent to denuclearize, a veteran U.S. diplomat has told NK News.

Stephen Bosworth, the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy from 2009 to 2011, said that this would not mean recognizing the North as a nuclear power; denuclearization would remain Washington's top objective in dealing with the North. However, in the absence of any negotiations, North Korea's nuclear and weapons proliferation is likely to continue, he said.