Key Democrat calls for new US policy on NKorea

WASHINGTON, Nov 15 (Reuters) The Bush administration's policy toward North Korea has failed and a new approach must be tried, including punishing the North's leaders and sending a US envoy to Pyongyang for talks, a key Democrat today said.

Rep Tom Lantos of California, who is expected to head the House of Representatives International Relations Committee when Democrats take over Congress in January, said North Korean leaders ''must feel personal pain'' for testing a nuclear weapon last month.

He also told a hearing that US envoy Chris Hill must be dispatched to the next round of six-country talks ''with the authority to negotiate a comprehensive and verifiable deal'' and should stop over in Pyongyang ''to demonstrate our peaceful interests.'' REUTERS SY VV2258