North Korea shifted significantly toward US calls for multilateral talks on its suspected nuclear arms plans and Washington voiced interest, saying it would follow up through diplomatic channels.
The North Korean comments yesterday could mark a breakthrough in the nuclear standoff just days after US-led forces removed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein from power in a war the South Korean president said had "petrified" the North.
"If the US is ready to make a bold switchover in its Korea policy for a settlement of the nuclear issue, the DPRK will not stick to any particular dialogue format," the North's KCNA news agency quoted a Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying.
Until now, North Korea - its official name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) - has insisted on bilateral talks.
Washington, which lumps communist North Korea in an "axis of evil" with Iraq and Iran for seeking weapons of mass destruction, wants talks that also include regional players South Korea, Japan, Russia and China.
"We noted the statement with interest," US State Department spokesman Mr Philip Reeker said yesterday, adding: "We expect to follow up through appropriate diplomatic channels."