S. Korea sees better atmosphere for North talks

North Korea's offer to freeze its nuclear programme should help create conditions to resume talks on the communist North's nuclear ambitions, South Korea's foreign minister said yesterday.

Foreign Minister Yoon Young-kwan said Seoul welcomed North Korea's offer on Tuesday to suspend its nuclear power programme as well as refrain from testing or making atomic bombs.

"This should be helpful in creating the atmosphere for a second round of talks," Yoon told a news conference. His views were echoed by Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

"I think it may show that North Korea may also be starting to show a will to somehow seek a breakthrough in the situation. I think it is a good thing," Mr Koizumi told reporters.

Washington hopes to persuade Pyongyang to accept the total, verifiable and irreversible dismantling of its suspected nuclear arms programme through six-way talks among US, Chinese, North and South Korean, Japanese and Russian officials.

With prospects for talks in January appearing to recede, Pyongyang called on Washington to accept the North's offer to freeze its nuclear arms program. In addition, Pyongyang threw in for the first time what it called the "bold concession" of offering to suspend nuclear power generation.