Addressing the six-party negotiations on the reclusive communist state's nuclear program, which resumed in the Chinese capital Monday after a 13-month suspension, Pyongyang's chief nuclear negotiator, Kim Kye-gwan, demanded that the United States officially end its "hostile policy" and unfreeze Pyongyang's bank accounts.
"The North Korean delegation has expressed its readiness to accept IAEA inspections should sanctions against it be lifted and its relations with the U.S. improve, but not permanent monitoring," the official said.
He said inspections are carried out on a random basis, while monitoring means ongoing control over nuclear installations.
Parties to the six-nation talks are now holding bilateral consultations. According to some sources, the U.S. and North Korean delegations are meeting separately to discuss North Korea's principal demand - the lifting of U.S. sanctions.
Following North Korea's October 9 announcement that it had conducted its first nuclear bomb test, the UN Security Council passed a special resolution October 14 blocking all deliveries of military equipment and supplies to the country.
Four years ago, the United States suspended work on a light-water nuclear reactor it was building in North Korea under a 1994 agreement, citing North Korea's refusal to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
As well as resumed construction, North Korea is seeking fuel supplies for its power stations until the light-water nuclear reactor is completed to meet its electricity needs.
The six-party talks, involving North and South Korea, Russia, Japan, China and the U.S., were initially launched in 2003 after Pyongyang withdrew from the NPT.
At the fifth round held in September 2005, Pyongyang agreed to abandon its nuclear program in exchange for aid and security guarantees, and the sides adopted a joint statement.
The statement confirmed North Korea's right to conduct peaceful nuclear research. Pyongyang, in turn, pledged to give up its nuclear weapons program and rejoin the NPT. But the country later boycotted further meetings in protest against Washington's financial sanctions.
The other five negotiating sides now want North Korea to take clear steps to implement the September 2005 joint statement.
Late last year, the U.S. accused North Korea of printing counterfeit dollars and laundering money through foreign banks, and ordered a Macao-based bank to freeze North Korean accounts holding $24 million.
