N Korea and US to hold talks on nuclear threat

North Korea and the United States will hold direct talks today on the sidelines of a six-country meeting about the North’s nuclear programme, the Chinese government said.

The government’s official Xinhua News Agency quoted Lee Soo-hyuck, the leader of South Korea’s delegation.

Sources said the meeting would be held this afternoon at the state guesthouse in Beijing where the main talks were held earlier.

North Korea and the United States have no diplomatic relations and technically remain in a state of war interrupted by a 51-year armistice.

The US delegation is led by Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly, while Pyongyang’s is headed by Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan.

The United States insists that North Korea dismantle its nuclear programme. The North says it first wants economic and humanitarian aid and assurances that Washington will not attack.

Other countries participating in the second round of six-party talks are China, South Korea, Japan and Russia.