North Korea demands US end its 'hostile policy' as six-party talks enter crucial phase

MANILA (AP) - Pyongyang has renewed its call for the United States to end its "hostile policy" toward North Korea, an official from the South said -- a demand that could tie further progress in shutting down its nuclear program to new American concessions.

North Korea halted its only nuclear reactor last month and allowed the return of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency in exchange for aid and diplomatic concessions, under an agreement made at disarmament talks in February. It also pledged to eventually declare and disable all its nuclear facilities.

North Korea's partners in the six-nation nuclear talks -- the U.S., Japan, South Korea, China and Russia -- are united in their determination to move the denuclearization process forward as quickly as possible.

But a South Korean official said Thursday that the North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun told his counterpart from the South that Pyongyang would take steps toward denuclearization and the normalization of relations with the U.S., but demanded that Washington end its "hostile policy" toward the North.