Leader Kim Jong Il agreed North Korea would join a first round of six-party working level talks on his nuclear programmes on May 12, media and officials said on Thursday. The lower-level talks will involve China, Russia, the two Koreas, the US and Japan and will focus on detail rather than strategy.‘‘The DPRK side will attend this meeting to discuss the proposal ‘reward for freeze’,’’ the North Korean Foreign Ministry said. The proposal involves freezing nuclear plans in return for compensation. The US and North Korea are at odds on many issues, including how to proceed on a US offer to provide security assurances if North Korea agrees to the dismantling of its arms programmes.
