Envoy: U.S. Losing Patience on N. Korea

Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea

The top U.S. envoy in South Korea said Wednesday that Washington was "running out of patience" with the impasse over North Korea's nuclear program.

The comments by U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Alexander Vershbow came as Seoul's chief official for North Korean relations urged the communist state to end its boycott of international talks on the issue.

North Korea has refused to resume nuclear disarmament talks with the United States, China, Japan, Russia and South Korea, demanding that Washington first lift financial restrictions on a Macau bank and North Korean companies accused of involvement in the North's alleged currency counterfeiting and other illicit activities.

The United States has rebuffed the North's demand, saying the sanctions are a separate issue from the nuclear talks. Read on...