PYONGYANG, Nov. 1 - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on Wednesday that it has decided to return to the six-party talks, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

 

"The DPRK decided to return to the six-party talks on the premise that the issue of lifting financial sanctions will be discussed and settled between the DPRK and the U.S. within the framework of the six-party talks," said a spokesman of the DPRK Foreign Ministry

 

DPRK had refused to return to six-party talks since last October due to the U.S.-imposed financial sanctions against it, and claimed that it would not return to talks unless the U.S. lifts financial sanctions imposed on a Macao-based bank and DPRK companies, for alleged counterfeiting and other illegal activities.

 

The KCNA didn't release the date when the next round of talks will be held.

 

The spokesman also said that the nuclear test conducted last month is "a self-defensive counter-measure against the U.S. daily increasing nuclear threat and financial sanctions against it."

 

China announced on Tuesday that the DPRK had agreed to resume the talks after a meeting in Beijing of top officials from the DPRK and the U. S.