U.S. backs China bid for informal N.Korea talks

South Korea's top nuclear talks envoy, Chun Yung-woo, who met Hill, said the furore over the missiles -- which included one that could reach U.S. soil although it apparently fizzled after 42 seconds in the air -- might offer a chance to resume the six-party talks.

North Korea insisted that it had every right to test the missiles. It kept up its furious rhetoric, saying it would consider sanctions against it a declaration of war. Much of its anger has been aimed at Japan for pushing for international sanctions.

Japan has also banned a North Korean ferry from entering its ports for six months as part of a package of initial sanctions.

"Our forces and people will definitely show our belief and power with a cruel, annihilating strike if enemies touch our dignified socialist system, even slightly," said an editorial in the official North Korean daily Rodong Sinmun. The editorial was quoted by Seoul's Yonhap news agency.

Japan insisted it would press on with the U.N. resolution.

"Japan will not compromise. It will be a resolution with punitive measures," Foreign Minister Taro Aso said on Saturday.

"We will not back down from our resolution. We will stick it out until the very end."

DIPLOMACY

Voting on Japan's U.N. Security Council resolution has been delayed until Monday but China and Russia have both made clear that they see diplomacy, not punishment, as the way to win over the state.

South Korea said it would hold ministerial talks with the North Korea as scheduled next week. They would be the first high-level contact with Pyongyang since the Wednesday's launch.

U.S. President George W. Bush said on Friday diplomacy on North Korea was "slow and cumbersome" and would take more time.

Bush, who previously maintained that the United States would keep the military option open when it came to North Korea, refrained from repeating the phrase when asked about it during an hour-long news conference.

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