N. KOREA’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE U.S.

[Anchor Lead]

North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations has urged the U.S. to implement the agreement reached between Pyongyang and Washington in Singapore last year. The ambassador also accused Washington of leaving North Korea-U.S. negotiations in a stalemate. He also criticized South Korea for double-dealing behavior.

[Pkg]

North Korea's ambassador to the U.N. Kim Song says little improvement has been made in North Korea-U.S. relations since the two heads of state held their first summit in Singapore in June last year. Kim made the remarks at the U.N. General Assembly on the International Atomic Energy Agency in New York. He added that the situation on the Korean Peninsula remains in "the vicious cycle of aggravated tension." He attributed it to political and military provocations perpetrated by the U.S. The North Korean ambassador stressed that the implementation of the North Korea-U.S. agreement reached in Singapore is the key to consolidating peace and security. Kim said that North Korea has made pro-active, well-intentioned efforts to establish permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula since last year while refraining from nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile launches. The North Korean diplomat accused South Korea of duplicity, saying that inter-Korean relations remain at a standstill. He criticized Seoul for beefing up its military readiness behind closed doors while offering the olive branch on the outside. However, IAEA's acting Director General, Cornel Feruta, said at the meeting that the North's nuclear activities remain a serious concern and constitute a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions. Feruta urged North Korea to immediately cooperate with the IAEA and abide by its U.N. obligations.