A Philippine foreign affairs spokesman says North Korea's foreign minister has reaffirmed his country's commitment to ending its nuclear weapons program.
The spokesman Claro Cristobal said North Korea's Pak Ui Chun has told his Philippine counterpart Alberto Romulo that six-nation talks on Pyongyang's nuclear disarmament have produced good progress and that his country is committed to the process.
The officials discussed the issue Sunday in Manila on the sidelines of an Asian security forum.
The spokesman said Pak reiterated North Korea's view that the six-party disarmament deal should follow the principle that if one party takes action, the others respond in kind.
North Korea shut down its main nuclear reactor at Yongbyon earlier this month after receiving fuel oil from South Korea. Seoul sent its final shipment of a 50-thousand-ton fuel package to the North Sunday.
The United States, China, Japan and Russia also have pledged aid and diplomatic concessions if North Korea seals its nuclear facilities and fully discloses its nuclear stash.
