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