ROK FM urges DPRK to halt all nuclear activities

Updated: 2011-08-12 16:28

(Xinhua)

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SEOUL - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) should put a stop to all its nuclear activities before returning to long-stalled nuclear disarmament talks, the top diplomat of the Republic of Korea (ROK) said Friday.

"One of the most fundamental prerequisites for restarting the talks would be halting all nuclear activities by North Korea (DPRK), including its uranium enrichment program," foreign minister Kim Sung-hwan said during a press briefing.

"And I guess there should also be a verification process by the International Atomic Energy Agency," he added.

Following rare, separate talks with Seoul and Washington, Pyongyang authorities should be these possible preconditions for resuming the six-party aid-for-disarmament talks, Kim said.

Pyongyang has expressed its wish to return to the six-party negotiations it once declared "dead," while revealing a new facility to enrich uranium. The talks also involve host China, Japan and Russia.

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