A North Korean diplomat denied today that leader Kim Jong Il was ill, calling widespread speculation about the leader’s health troubles “nonsense spread by bad people”.

North Korean disarmament talks were extended until at least tomorrow as envoys struggled to reach an agreement over a Chinese proposal that would let Pyongyang keep its civilian nuclear power programme after it disarms.

The chief US envoy to talks on ending North Korea’s atomic weapons programme met today with his North Korean counterpart seeking to break a stalemate, and said afterward that the negotiations are still “in business".

NORTH Korea yesterday said it won’t give up its nuclear weapons without receiving a reactor for generating power, stalling six-nation talks on Pyongyang’s atomic programmes.