"North Korea must make a strategic decision to return to dialogue and to help produce progress on its nuclear issue," Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon told a weekly briefing.

"It is important for North Korea not to delay coming to dialogue. It is important for North Korea not to miss a strategically good opportunity for its openness and reforms."

Three rounds of talks -- between the United States, China, the two Koreas, Japan and Russia -- have taken place since the stand-off began in October 2002.

But North Korea boycotted a fourth round scheduled for September.

Ban, who returned late Thursday from a trip accompanying President Roh Moo-Hyun to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Santiago, said all partners except North Korea have said the talks should resume this year.

The leaders of the United States, China, Japan, South Korea and Russia held separate bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit and agreed to push for a diplomatic end to North Korea's nuclear programs.

"All five nations, including South Korea, agreed: It is desirable for the fourth round of six-way talks to open within this year," Ban said.

The South Korean foreign minister said he opposes any pre-conditions to the reresumption of the talks.

North Korea has demanded the United States first drop its "hostile" policy towards Pyongyang, before it will attend more talks.

The stand-off began in October 2002 when US officials said North Korea had admitted to pursuing a covert uranium-enrichment programme.

North Korea has since denied running such a programme, but has admitted to firing up its mothballed plutonium-based nuclear reactors after the United States suspended oil shipments to Pyongyang that were part of a now defunct 1994 nuclear safeguard deal.

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