N. Korea slams South over nuclear talks

SEOUL, Nov. 30 (Yonhap) -- North Korea blasted South Korea on Monday over plans to hold trilateral talks with the United States and Japan on Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.

The North's main newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, said the South is creating an "anti-DPRK nuclear racket" to "stifle the compatriots in the north in collusion with the U.S. and other outside forces." DPRK is the acronym of North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The report, carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency, claimed the "racket" is another demonstration of Seoul's confrontational policy toward Pyongyang despite the South Korean people's desire for reunification through an alliance with the North.

"They should drop the anachronistic conception of confrontation, stop the anti-DPRK nuclear racket and opt for creating favorable conditions and environment for having dialogue and improving the relations between the North and the South," the paper said.

Top South Korean, U.S. and Japanese nuclear envoys are scheduled to meet in Washington on Thursday to discuss North Korea's nuclear weapons program, according to diplomatic sources.

It's part of regular consultations among the regional powers seeking to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue. The related six-party talks, which also involve China and Russia, have been stalled for seven years.

North Korea's harsh criticism comes despite the Koreas' plan to hold vice-ministerial talks on bilateral issues at the North's border city of Kaesong on Dec. 11.

hague@yna.co.kr
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