Sanctions imposed by the United States were the only obstacle between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and its return to six-party talks on its nuclear program, the South African and DPRK officials said on Tuesday.

"The Vice Minister (Kim Hyong-jun) has categorically stated that once the financial sanctions imposed after the last talks were dropped they would seriously consider going back to the talks, " South African Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad said after meeting with his DPRK counterpart Kim.

Kim confirmed that his country would return to the talks which aim to tackle nuclear issues on the Korean Peninsula but stalled at present, saying the sanctions were preventing them from doing so.

"It's our intention to respect the talks and implement its decisions as soon as the US lifts its sanctions," Kim said.

Since last November, the DPRK has boycotted the six-party talks, which involve China, the DPRK, the United States, South Korea, Russia and Japan, saying it would not come back to the negotiating table until the United States revoked its sanctions based on claims that Pyongyang counterfeited U.S. currency.

The meeting between Pahad and Kim took place following the DPRK 's test firing of seven missiles last week, which raised international alarm and provoked Japan, backed by the United States, to push for United Nations (UN) Security Council sanctions to be imposed on the DPRK.

Pahad said South Africa was not in favor of UN sanctions being imposed on the DPRK.

"We want this matter to be resolved through normal diplomatic consensus. We want to see a situation where all diplomatic efforts have been exhausted before the situation is taken to the United Nations," he told a press conference following the talks.

The Security Council on Monday put off a vote on sanctions against the country to give diplomacy a chance.

Japan has asked South Africa to take up the issue with the DPRK using diplomacy as the main tool. Pahad said South Africa believed the solution was the six-party talks.

Kim on Tuesday also defended last week's missile launches, saying they were part of efforts to protect itself against outside threats and increase its self-defense capabilities.

The vice minister attacked the United States for its military exercise with Japan in waters off the Korea Peninsula.

Kim said the DPRK would stop launching missiles if the United States halted its military exercises which he described as being disruptive to peace on the Korea Peninsula.

"The United States is now conducting a military exercise in the waters off the Korea Peninsula. This military exercise is a serious violation of the sovereignty, equality and non- interference of internal affairs," he said.

Source: Xinhua