DATE=4/30/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE= BUSH-NORTH KOREA (S-only)

NUMBER=2-289282

BYLINE= PAULA WOLFSON

DATELINE= WHITE HOUSE

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The White House says North Korea is ready to resume security talks with the United States, and the two sides will start working out the details soon. V-O-A's Paula Wolfson has the story.

TEXT: The announcement came in a brief written statement from White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.

Mr. Fleischer said North Korea's U-N mission has informed the State Department that Pyongyang is prepared to begin talks. He said the United States will work to determine the timing and other details in the coming days.

The White House spokesman noted that an American offer to resume talks was put on the table last June. He said at that time President Bush proposed talks without preconditions to address a broad range of concerns related to North Korea's missile program and other security issues.

U-S North Korea talks began under the Clinton administration. They were put on hold after President Bush came to office. In January, he took a tough stand against Pyongyang in his State of the Union Address, referring to an "axis of evil" comprised of North Korea, Iran and Iraq. The president said these three states are seeking weapons of mass destruction that could end up in terrorist hands.(signed)

NEB/MEM