South Korea calls for talks to resolve nuclear dispute peacefully

DESPITE hints by North Korea that it might withdraw from the global nuclear nonproliferation treaty, South Korea yesterday said dialogue is the only viable way to resolve the dispute peacefully.

US officials were sceptical and spoke about using economic pressure on the communist state to abandon its nuclear ambitions. Pyongyang's longtime ally, Russia, warned it not to back out of the regime.

In its latest defiant gesture, North Korea indicated on Sunday it might abandon the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons a move that would deepen the crisis over the isolated country's decision to restart its nuclear facilities and expel UN nuclear inspectors.