U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill made the announcement today in Vietnam's capital, Hanoi.
"We all feel that the process really needs to show progress, and that's why we need to plan this next round very carefully," he said.
North Korea agreed to return to the six-party talks after carrying out its first nuclear-weapons test October 9. The talks have been stalled for more than a year.
(AP, dpa, Reuters)