South Korean President Lee Myung-bak proposed a “grand bargain” today to restart disarmament negotiations and end North Korea’s nuclear arms programme.

More than 50 years after the end of the Korean War, the United States and North Korea opened historic talks on steps to establish diplomatic relations following Pyongyang’s agreement to dismantle its nuclear programme.

North Korea’s chief nuclear negotiator plans to visit the United States within days for follow-up talks on a recent disarmament deal, South Korean news reports said today.

A SENIOR North Korean representative said yesterday his government was ready to end its nuclear weapons program if the US changes its “hostile policy” toward Pyongyang.