N Korea nuclear talks 'to resume soon'

International talks aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme are highly likely to resume in the week starting December 18, South Korea’s top nuclear envoy said today.

Chun Yung-woo told The Associated Press that he expected the talks to resume then, but that consultations were still under way and China would announce the date soon.

North Korea has boycotted the talks since November last year, angered by US financial restrictions imposed over Pyongyang’s alleged involvement in money laundering and counterfeiting of dollars.

The parties to the talks – the two Koreas, the US, host China, Russia and Japan – have been trying to set a date for the fresh round of talks.

North Korea agreed to a resumption of negotiations after it tested a nuclear bomb on October 9.