North Korea accuses US of overthrow plot

North Korea yesterday rejected a US demand for a "complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantling" of its nuclear weapons programs, calling it a plot to start a war and overthrow the government.

The North's reiteration of its hardline posture comes after Chinese Foreign minister Li Zhaoxing (李肇星) met reclusive North Korean leader Kim Jong Il earlier this week.

Li later said that the two agreed to "push forward" toward a third round of six-nation talks on its nuclear programs.

North Korea's state-run Radio Pyongyang, monitored by South Korea's Yonhap news agency, said yesterday that the communist country would never accept the US demand that it first dismantle its nuclear facilities.

"`Complete nuclear dismantling' is a plot to overthrow the North's socialist system after stripping it of its nuclear deterrent at no cost at all. `Verifiable nuclear dismantling' reflects a US intention to spy on our military capabilities before starting a war," it said.

"`Irreversible nuclear dismantling' is nothing other than a noose to stifle us after eradicating our peaceful nuclear-energy industry," it added.

North Korea says it will allow nuclear inspections and dismantle its atomic facilities only if the US provides economic aid and written guarantees that US forces will not invade.

It also insists that it will keep a nuclear program for power generation.

Washington demands that North Korea first dismantle all its nuclear facilities, saying that it had previously broken international agreements not to develop nuclear weapons in return for oil and other economic aid.

The second round of six-party talks about the North's nuclear ambitions ended last month in Beijing without a settlement. China has since sought to push ahead with another meeting among the two Koreas, the US, China, Japan and Russia.

The countries have agreed to keep the process going by creating lower-level working groups to resolve obstacles that might not be suitable for the high-level talks.

Chinese Foreign Minister Li visited Pyongyang on Tuesday through Thursday and conferred with senior North Korean officials over the nuclear dispute.

China, Pyongyang's only major ally, has taken on the role of host and coordinator of the nuclear talks.

The North's Stalinist regime frequently uses brinkmanship in diplomacy.

Last week, it threatened to boost its nuclear arsenal, blaming the US for the lack of progress in the talks.