US envoy says North Korea boycotting nuclear talks

SEOUL, Apr 13 (Reuters) The chief US envoy to multilateral talks on ending North Korea's nuclear programmes said today that Pyongyang was boycotting the discussions, but urged patience for the process.

US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill did not hold substantive discussions with North Korean nuclear envoy Kim Kye-gwan in Tokyo earlier this week when the two were in the Japanese capital for a private security forum.

''They (the North Koreans) are boycotting the six-party process,'' Hill told reporters prior to meetings with South Korean Foreign Ministry officials.

The last round of talks between the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States was held in November. The negotiations have hit a snag over a US crackdown on firms it suspects of aiding North Korea in illicit activities.

REUTERS DH BD0751