White House spokesman Scott McClellan said President George W. Bush spoke by telephone with South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun. He said both leaders agree that verification that North Korea has abandoned its nuclear-weapons program is needed before any agreement on other issues.
North Korea today insisted it will not dismantle its nuclear-weapons program until the United States provides a civilian nuclear reactor.
North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency carried a statement from the Foreign Ministry that said the "U.S. should not even dream of the issue of North Korea's dismantlement of its nuclear deterrent" before the North receives a light-water reactor.
Six-party talks ended yesterday in Beijing with a pledge by North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons and other nuclear programs and return to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
(AP/Reuters)
North Korea today insisted it will not dismantle its nuclear-weapons program until the United States provides a civilian nuclear reactor.
North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency carried a statement from the Foreign Ministry that said the "U.S. should not even dream of the issue of North Korea's dismantlement of its nuclear deterrent" before the North receives a light-water reactor.
Six-party talks ended yesterday in Beijing with a pledge by North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons and other nuclear programs and return to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
(AP/Reuters)