It was the first time in nine years that US and North Korean generals held talks. The two sides met on the inter-Korean border and agreed to resume joint field activities to search for the remains of Americans missing from the war, Pompeo said in a statement on Sunday.

"Today's talks were productive and co-operative and resulted in firm commitments," he said.

The repatriation of US remains was one of the agreements reached during an unprecedented summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in June in Singapore.

Working level meetings will begin on Monday to co-ordinate the next steps for the repatriation of remains, including the transfer of those already collected in North Korea, Pompeo said.

The Pentagon has said North Korean officials have indicated in the past they have the remains of as many as 200 US troops. But a US military official familiar with the matter said last month it was not clear what North Korea might hand over.

US forces brought about 100 wooden coffins into the Demilitarised Zone last month, which will be used to transport the remains, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

About 7700 US military personnel still remain unaccounted for from the Korean War, US military data show. More than 36,500 US troops died in the conflict.

Pompeo unveiled the plan for the talks after visiting Pyongyang this month, touting it as one of the key issues on which the two sides had made progress, though the North accused his delegation of making "gangster-like" demands in connection with denuclearisation during the trip.

Pompeo initially said the two sides had agreed to hold talks on US remains on Thursday but no North Korean representatives showed up at the border. North Korea then proposed meeting US military officials on Sunday, US and South Korean officials have said.

Australian Associated Press