The State Department says the meeting will take place on October 24-25 in Geneva. It could determine if conditions are ready for a resumption of international talks on the DPRK's nuclear disarmament.

Outgoing US envoy for the DPRK Stephen Bosworth will lead the US team, which includes diplomat Glynn Davies who will replace him. The DPRK’s team will be headed by Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Guan.

A spokesman for the US State Department, Mark Toner, described the talks as exploratory, stressing that the United States is looking for a “seriousness of purpose” on the part of the DPRK.

The DPRK's reclusive leader Kim Jong Il said that six-party talks should resume swiftly and without preconditions. His gave his remarks in an interview to Russia's state-run news agency ITAR-Tass, published on October 19.

Russia, China and Japan also are parties to six-nation disarmament talks.

The DPRK abandoned the aid-for-disarmament talks in 2009. The United States and the Republic of Korea (RoK) say they want evidence that the DPRK is serious about returning to the negotiating table.

Bosworth is stepping down after next week's talks to resume his position as dean of Boston's Tufts University's law school. Davies will work as envoy on a full-time basis.

The State Department also said on October 19 that diplomat Clifford Hart is replacing Sung Kim as US envoy to the six-party talks. Kim has been confirmed as the new US ambassador to the RoK.