US Rep Heads to North Korea With New Nukes Proposal

The chief US nuclear negotiator with North Korea will propose a face-saving compromise during a trip tomorrow to the isolated communist nation to try to salvage the derailed disarmament pact, officials said. Envoy Christopher Hill said his goal was to persuade North Korea to agree to a verification system to account for the North's nuclear arsenal.

The North has rejected US requests on verification and accused Washington of not living up to its end of the deal and removing North Korea from a list of state sponsors of terrorism. It recently reversed the process of dismantling its nuclear facilities. "We are in a very difficult, very tough phase of negotiations," Hill told reporters tonight after meeting with his South Korean counterpart. (More North Korea stories.)