N. Korea To Abandon Nukes?

South Korea's Foreign Minister Says North Wants 'Peaceful' Activities

(AP)  North Korean officials, in Beijing and Seoul, have said "it is the legacy" of their country's founding president, the late Kim Il Sung, and "the will of the highest authorities of North Korea to realize denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Ban said.

"It seems to us" that the current leader, Kim Jong Il, apparently has decided to abandon the North's nuclear weapons programs and "we are working for that through negotiations," Ban said.

Citing progress in the recent talks, Ban said: "We have entered into a stage of real and substantive negotiations. ... I think we are more or less optimistic that we'll be able to result in substantive resolution of the nuclear weapons program this time."

Ban also discussed a newspaper report Sunday that said North Korea restarted a nuclear reactor before it returned to the multinational talks in July.

Japan's Asahi Shimbun said that a U.S. reconnaissance satellite detected steam coming from a boiler connected to a nuclear reactor building.

"I haven't had confirmed information on this matter," Ban said, adding that South Korea is closely monitoring and exchanging information with Washington.

"However, as we have agreed during the six-party talks the last time, the participating countries, particularly North Korea should not make any measures, actions which may aggravate the ongoing discussion on nuclear issues," Ban said.