| China is denying South Korean news reports | | | | Pyongyang has responded angrily to United |
| last week that said North Korean leader Kim | | | | Nations sanctions that ban some trade with |
| Jong Il expressed regret for carrying out a | | | | North Korea and prohibit the transfer of |
| nuclear test on October 9. | | | | weapons-related items to and from the |
| | | | country. |
| The reports said Kim Jong Il had made the | | | | |
| remarks to Chinese envoy Tang Jiaxuan, who | | | | The United States, China, Japan, South Korea |
| visited Pyongyang last week to deliver a | | | | and Russia are trying to persuade North Korea |
| message from President Hu Jintao. | | | | to return to talks on ending its nuclear |
| | | | programs. Pyongyang has refused to do so for |
| Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu | | | | the past year because of financial sanctions |
| Jianchao spoke to reporters at a regular | | | | the U.S. has imposed on some North Korean |
| briefing Tuesday. | | | | enterprises suspected of involvement in |
| | | | crimes such as money laundering and |
| "The reports are certainly not accurate. I | | | | counterfeiting. |
| have not heard any information that Kim Jong | | | | |
| Il apologized," he said. | | | | Chinese officials on Tuesday had no |
| | | | information on a report in a South Korean |
| U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who | | | | newspaper that said Beijing police last month |
| met with envoy Tang in Beijing following his | | | | arrested two ethnic Korean men on charges of |
| visit Pyongyang, earlier cast doubt on the | | | | trying to sell nearly one kilogram of |
| reports. Rice said Tang did not tell her that | | | | enriched uranium. |
| Kim Jong Il had either apologized for the | | | | |
| October 9 nuclear test or said that he would | | | | The report did not say how enriched the |
| not ever test again. | | | | uranium was. Only highly enriched uranium can |
| | | | be used to make bombs. The newspaper said |
| Chinese government spokesman Liu suggests | | | | officials are investigating the origin of the |
| there is no guarantee that Kim will stop the | | | | uranium, and quoted sources as saying North |
| tests. | | | | Korea had not been ruled out as a possible |
| | | | source. |
| "He (Kim) also indicated that the North | | | | |
| Korean side has no plans to carry out a | | | | One of the greatest concerns the United |
| second nuclear test," the spokesman said. | | | | States and other countries have is that North |
| "But, if foreign influences exert more | | | | Korea will try to sell nuclear weapons or |
| pressure or exert unfair pressure, North | | | | technology to other countries or to terrorist |
| Korea could possibly take further measures." | | | | groups. |
| | | | |