CIA Director Mike Pompeo has said that North Korea could be capable of launching a nuclear attack on the territorial U.S. in just a “handful of months.”

CIA Director Mike Pompeo said on Monday that North Korea could become capable of launching a nuclear attack on the territorial U.S. in just a "handful of months."  In an interview with Norah O'Donnell of 'CBS This Morning,' Pompeo noted that "North Korea's nuclear weapons program is continuing to expand, advance, become more powerful, more capable, more reliable." When asked what that means in terms of time before North Korea can levy an attack on "the territorial United States," Pompeo replied, "a handful of months."  After acknowledging that he'd said the same thing many months ago, Pompeo stated, "I hope to be able to say it a year from now as well...The United States government is working diligently to extend that timeline." 
Over the past months, relations between the U.S. and North Korea have grown increasingly tense, and, on New Year's Day, leader Kim Jong-un said, in part, "The entire mainland of the US is within the range of our nuclear weapons, and the nuclear button is always on the desk of my office."  President Trump has been similarly provocative in comments he's made about Kim, and not long ago stated that any aggression on his part would be met with, "fire and fury."
However, the resumption of talks between North Korea and South Korea earlier this month could lead to a longer-term peaceful solution. 
"South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Monday a thaw in relations between the two Koreas ahead of next month's Winter Olympics presented a 'precious chance' for the United States and North Korea to discuss the North's weapons programs," Reuters reported.