US urges DPRK to engage in talks "in constructive manner"

The United States urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Friday to engage in the six-party talks "in a constructive manner" and give up its nuclear weapons.

"We are talking about the modalities with other members of the six-party talks, but we are ready to roll up our sleeves and engage in a discussion. But what has to happen first is we need the North Koreans to engage in a constructive manner, respond to the proposal that they have before them," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said at a briefing.

The United States put forward a proposal to solve the DPRK nuclear issue during the last round of six-party talks in Beijing in June last year, but the DPRK has criticized the proposal as unbalanced.

"We're ready to see if the North Korean government has made a strategic decision to give up its nuclear weapons," McCormack said.

The DPRK has agreed to return to the six-party talks in the week of July 25. The talks were stalled in the third round of talks held in June last year.

Source: Xinhua