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US-N Korea talks press on

Talks between North Korea and a US-led team of experts were "businesslike" and "positive," an official said, raising hopes for a firm deal on how to disable the North's nuclear facilities at upcoming arms talks.

South Korea's No. 2 nuclear negotiator, Lim Sung-nam, made the remark on Saturday after he was briefed by the US nuclear experts following their return from a five-day trip to North Korea.

"The talks between the US and the North this time were conducted in a businesslike manner in a very positive atmosphere," Lim told reporters. "Additional consultations and a decision are expected at next week's six-party talks."

Lim's comments suggested the upcoming six-country nuclear disarmament talks in Beijing are expected to produce a concrete agreement with North Korea on how to disable its nuclear facilities by year's end so they no longer produce material for bombs.

The nuclear negotiations bring together China, Japan, the two Koreas, Russia and the US. South Korean and US officials have said the talks would resume this coming week.

In North Korea, the US experts teamed up with Chinese and Russian specialists to survey the North's main nuclear facilities at Yongbyon.

They also held talks with North Korean officials in Pyongyang. The discussions produced a "detailed plan" on disabling the Yongbyon facilities, China's Xinhua news agency reported, citing the Chinese member of the three-nation team.

North Korea is required to disable Yongbyon in exchange for economic aid and political concessions under a February deal. In July, it shut down its sole functioning reactor at Yongbyon, as well as other facilities.

North Korea's invitation to the US experts was the latest sign that it is serious about disarming.
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