CINA

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Now, likely, it's clear..

No North Korean apology, China says (IHT, 10.24) 

Kim Jong Il of North Korea did not apologize for his regime's nuclear test, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Tuesday, and added that there was no guarantee the reclusive state would not detonate another weapon.

South Korean media reported last week that Kim had expressed regret for the Oct. 9 test during a visit last week by Tang Jiaxuan, a Chinese special envoy who was carrying a message from President Hu Jintao.

But a ministry spokesman, Liu Jianchao, said at a news briefing Tuesday: "These reports are certainly not accurate. We haven't heard any information that Kim Jong Il apologized for the test." He also said the North Koreans told Tang's delegation that "it did not have a plan to carry out a second test."

But Liu added that Tang had reported the North had signaled that, "if it faces pressure," it reserved the "right to take further actions." Liu did not say whether Kim or other North Korean officials had made that comment.

Also Tuesday, Ban Ki Moon, the South Korean foreign minister who will take over as secretary general of the United Nations in January, said Seoul fully backed the sanctions that have been agreed upon by the Security Council.

South Korea has not specified what it plans to do to be in accord with the resolution, which calls on the world to prevent Pyongyang from continuing its weapons trade. Washington has urged Seoul to join an anti-proliferation initiative and to take steps to make its projects with the North more transparent.

Ban said Seoul was still reviewing its policies "to bring them closer in line" with the UN resolution. He was scheduled to go to Beijing on Friday for meetings with Hu, Tang and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.

While the North has continued to rail against the United States, a South Korean lawmaker said Tuesday that the regime was amenable to returning to international nuclear talks if Washington showed a willingness to resolve a dispute over the North's alleged counterfeiting and money laundering.

Washington is trying to cut off the North's access to international banking as punishment for alleged counterfeiting of U.S. dollars and other illegal activity. Pyongyang has denied the charges and boycotted six-nation talks on its nuclear program until the crackdown is ended.

Representative Choi Sung of South Korea's governing Uri Party said he met with a "key North Korean official" in Beijing on Sunday. He declined to identify him. After the meeting, Choi suggested that the United States present the North with evidence of its alleged financial activities so it can punish those responsible. He said the North Korean official had said his country could then return to the talks "even if the issue is not completely resolved."...

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/10/24/news/nuke.php

The Guardian (UK) wrote following:

China: N Korea did not apologise 

Kim Jong-il has reserved the right to escalate the nuclear crisis, China said today, refuting earlier reports that the North Korean leader apologised for this month’s atomic weapons test..