US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis stated that the sanctions on North Korea may be relieved if Pyongyang were to launch a verifiable and irreversible denuclearization.

Mattis noted about the above-said on Sunday in Singapore, and ahead of his talks with his Japanese and South Korean colleagues, reported the Deutsche Welle (DW) TV and radio company of Germany.

In his view, it is still important to maintain all punitive measures that are specified by UN resolutions.