"The US has said conclusively that the talks have been postponed and will take place at a rescheduled time," Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said at a National Assembly session.

The US does not appear to be attaching big meaning to the delay in the meeting itself, she added.

On Russia's request for a closed-door UN Security Council session on North Korea, the minister said the issue of sanctions will likely be a main agenda item.

Russia and China have called for the easing of sanctions on the North, which has stayed away from provocative acts for months.

Kang said the government keeps a plan to hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the re-connection of inter-Korean railways and roads before the end of this year.

"(We) are in continued consultations with the US (on the matter)," she said, adding there's still a divergent view to discuss between the allies.

Kang has not had phone talks with Pompeo since the US announcement Wednesday on putting off the New York meeting. (Yonhap)