North Korea misses nuclear deadline

PYONGYANG, North Korea, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- North Korea failed to make the year-end deadline for inventorying all of its nuclear components and programs, it was reported Monday.

But the U.S. State Department didn't express alarm that the communist nation had missed the deadline for declaring all its nuclear programs and assets under the aid-for-disarmament deal, the Voice of America reported. State Department officials said the United States and other nations involved in the pact will continue their efforts to get North Korea to fully comply.

The United States, Japan and South Korea expressed their disappointment in North Korea's foot-dragging several hours before the deadline passed, VOA said.

"Certainly we're going to continue to talk with other parties including the North Koreans about this, and we do expect that they will in fact meet this obligation and provide us with a declaration," State Department spokesman Tom Casey said.

Under the agreement reached in February during the so-called six-party talks, Pyongyang is getting 1 million tons of heavy fuel oil and equivalent aid in exchange for shutting down and permanently disabling its Yongbyon nuclear reactor complex.