A group of US experts on Korean affairs will visit Pyongyang Saturday for talks with policy makers regarding North Korea's nuclear weapons programme, a news report said.

North Korea is unlikely to give up its nuclear weapons in the foreseeable future despite the upcoming talks with Washington, a former senior US diplomat who recently visited Pyongyang said Monday.

Pyongyang's agents over the past decade abducted about 200 Chinese citizens as part of a campaign to stop people from fleeing North Korea, a news report said Tuesday.

Obama: Iran, North Korea have choices to make on nuclear program, warns Tehran of consequences. President Barack Obama says there will be consequences if Tehran does not demonstrate Iran's nuclear program is "peaceful and transparent."

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei said on Tuesday that Beijing expects the United States to hold a bilateral meeting soon with North Korea and said his government would welcome such a move.

China and the United States want talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons programme to resume "as soon as possible", US President Barack Obama said Tuesday after talks with his host Hu Jintao.

US President Barack Obama wraps up his trip to China on Wednesday with a mix of diplomacy and sightseeing, meeting Premier Wen Jiabao for a working lunch and visiting the Great Wall.

SEOUL (Reuters) - The one certainty in unpredictable North Korea is that if the state detonates a nuclear device or leader Kim Jong-il visits a duck farm, Ri Chun-hee will be on TV boasting about the amazing accomplishment.

US President Barack Obama ended the official part of his trip to China on Wednesday by meeting Premier Wen Jiabao, who emphasised that their two nations were better off as partners, not rivals.

US President Barack Obama ended the official part of his trip to China on Wednesday by meeting Premier Wen Jiabao, who emphasised that their two nations were better off as partners, not rivals.

SEOUL (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in South Korea on Wednesday for talks that will focus on how to tempt North Korea back to nuclear disarmament talks and a delayed trade pact between Seoul and Washington.

US President Barack Obama wrapped up his first trip to China on Wednesday by meeting Premier Wen Jiabao, who said the two nations were better off as partners not rivals, and visiting the Great Wall.

US President Barack Obama wrapped up his first trip to China on Wednesday by meeting Premier Wen Jiabao, who said the two nations were better off as partners not rivals, and visiting the Great Wall.

US President Barack Obama wrapped up his first trip to China on Wednesday by meeting Premier Wen Jiabao, who said the two nations were better off as partners not rivals, and visiting the Great Wall.

US President Barack Obama arrived Wednesday in South Korea on the last leg of his debut Asian tour, with North Korea's nuclear programme and a stalled free trade pact due to top the agenda.

US President Barack Obama wrapped up his first trip to China on Wednesday by meeting Premier Wen Jiabao, who said the two nations were better off as partners not rivals, and visiting the Great Wall.

SEOUL (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama will discuss luring a reluctant North Korea back to nuclear dealings and a long-delayed trade pact with Seoul in talks with President Lee Myung-bak on Thursday at the end of his Asian tour.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - North Korea appears to be taking elaborate measures to evade U.N. sanctions aimed at its nuclear and missile activities, arms trading and import of luxuries, U.N. experts say in a new report.

US President Barack Obama arrived in South Korea Wednesday on the last leg of his debut Asian tour, with North Korea's nuclear programme due to top the agenda after three days of negotiations in China.

US President Barack Obama arrived in South Korea Wednesday on the last leg of his debut Asian tour, with North Korea's nuclear programme due to top the agenda after three days of negotiations in China.