North Korea has threatened to retaliate against South Korea for taking it to the UN Security Council over the sinking of a warship, calling the action an “intolerable provocation”.

Weeping, angry relatives of 46 crew members missing after a mysterious explosion sank a South Korean navy ship sailed around the site today as rescue teams took to the air and sea still hoping to find survivors.

The United Nations has opened top-level talks with North Korea for the first time in six years, the world body’s political chief said today.

China’s premier has been given a gala welcome to Pyongyang by North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, bolstering indications that the North is preparing to rejoin talks over its nuclear weapons programmes.

Negotiators from the United States, Japan and South Korea will meet in Seoul over the weekend to discuss resuming nuclear disarmament talks with North Korea after the communist country’s leader hinted at a possible compromise, officials said today.

The US is considering whether to send fighter jet escorts with reconnaissance planes near North Korea after jets from the country intercepted a surveillance flight and shadowed it for 20 minutes, Pentagon officials said.

THE United States is ready to deal with any contingencies involving North Korea, a White House spokesman said yesterday in response to new warnings

North Korea has told the US it has a secret nuclear weapons programme in violation of a 1994 agreement with Washington, the White House said.