The chief US envoy to multilateral talks on ending North Korea's nuclear programmes said today Pyongyang was boycotting the discussions.
US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill held no substantive discussions with North Korean nuclear envoy Kim Kye-gwan in Tokyo this week when the two were in the Japanese capital for a private security forum, dashing hopes for renewed progress in the six-party nuclear talks.
The other chief envoys in the talks were also in Tokyo, with most attending the same forum.
The last round of talks between the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States took place in November. The negotiations have hit a snag over a US crackdown on firms it suspects of aiding North Korea in illicit activities.
Pyongyang has since stayed away from the negotiating table, saying it would be unthinkable to return when Washington is trying to topple its leaders through pressure. Washington, Seoul and others have said the financial issue is separate from the talks and urged Pyongyang to return.
Mr Hill left Tokyo last night, saying Washington cannot wait forever but still urging patience in the process. He kept to the same line in Seoul and said the process was far from over.
North Korea was building nuclear weapons because of what it saw as a hostile policy toward it from Washington, its communist party newspaper said today.