North Korea agrees to dismantle nuclear facilities

NORTH KOREA yesterday agreed to account for and disable all its nuclear programmes by the end of the year, the chief US negotiator said — the first time the communist country has offered a timeline to end its secretive atomic programme.

The North Korean envoy, in separate comments, told reporters his country was willing “to declare and dismantle” its nuclear programme, but mentioned no dates.

Before announcing the timetable, US assistant secretary of state Christopher Hill said improving relations between the two countries, long estranged, was dependent on a North Korea free of nuclear weapons.