US-North Korean relations have remained strained over Pyongyang's decision to boycott nuclear disarmament talks, its launch of a long-range rocket in April and its detention of two American journalists.

"The US remains unchanged in its wild ambition to stifle the DPRK (North Korea) by force of arms behind the scene of 'dialogue,'" Minju Joson, a North Korean government-published newspaper, said in a commentary.

"The present US administration is following the same hostile policy toward the DPRK as enforced by the former administration, while touting 'a change' and 'diplomacy for multilateral cooperation.'"

It reiterated Pyongyang would not return to dialogue unless the "hostile" US policy changes.

Pyongyang had allegedly expected President Obama to differ from the view of his predecessor, George W. Bush, who once branded the communist state as part of an "axis of evil."

But Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Obama's top foreign policy maker, said Thursday Washington plans no concessions to bring Pyongyang back to talks. The United States wants to lure North Korea back to six-nation talks -- which also involve China, South Korea, Japan and Russia -- aimed at scrapping Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme in return for various incentives.

The multilateral negotiations that first began in 2003 produced a landmark aid-for-disarmament deal in 2007 but became deadlocked in late 2008 due to a dispute over how to verify the North's past nuclear activities.

The North, which launched a long-range rocket on April 5, declared it would quit the six-party process in protest at the UN censure of the controversial launch.

Pyongyang said it put a peaceful satellite into orbit but the United States, South Korea and Japan claimed it instead staged a disguised missile test.

The North has threatened to conduct a second nuclear test -- after one staged in 2006 -- and further ballistic missile tests unless the UN Security Council apologises for condemning its rocket launch.

The Security Council also ordered tougher enforcement of sanctions imposed in 2006 after the North's missile launch and first nuclear test earlier that year.

Visiting Seoul as part of a regional tour earlier this month, Stephen Bosworth, US special envoy for North Korea, warned of "consequences" if the North goes ahead with a second nuclear test.

The North has detained two US journalists -- Euna Lee, a Korean-American, and Laura Ling, a Chinese-American -- since it caught them on March 17 along the narrow Tumen River which marks the border with China.

The North said the duo would face a trial on June 4.

earlier related report
US plans no concessions to lure NKorea back to nuclear talks
The United States said Thursday it plans no concessions to lure North Korea back to nuclear disarmament talks but welcomed a trial date for two detained US journalists as a sign their ordeal could end.

Showing a cool public face toward a hardening line from North Korea, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Washington and its negotiating partners were united in expecting North Korea to fulfill its disarmament obligations.

"North Korea knows what we expect of them," Clinton told reporters.

"Obviously each of these countries has a different experience and perspective of North Korea but we are very united in our belief that we have to be patient," Clinton said.

The United States has been involved in negotiations with the two Koreas, China, Japan and Russia aimed at scrapping North Korea's weapons-grade nuclear program in return for aid under a landmark agreement signed in 2007.

"We intend to have an open door for a return to the six-party talks and China, which is the chair, has made it clear as well to the North Koreans that they wish to see this begin again," Clinton told reporters.

"So the ball is in the North Korean court and we are not concerned about chasing after the North Koreans and offering concessions to North Korea. They know what their obligations are," added the chief US diplomat.

The six-party negotiations deadlocked late last year over a dispute with North Korea over how to verify disarmament before taking a sharp turn for the worse with North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket on April 5.

The North about two weeks ago threatened to conduct a second nuclear test -- after one staged in 2006 -- and ballistic missile tests unless the United Nations Security Council apologized for condemning and punishing its rocket launch.

Pyongyang said it put a peaceful satellite into orbit but the United States, South Korea and Japan said it staged a disguised missile test.

Analysts suspect that North Korea is taking an increasingly hard line in a bid to open direct talks with the United States.

Days before the missile launch, Clinton's top envoy for North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, dismissed suggestions that North Korea had taken a tough stance because the United States was not using enough leverage to make it back down.

"Pressure is not the most productive line of approach. You have to combine pressure with incentives and I think we're in a position to begin doing that," he said without elaborating.

Bosworth also supported a return to one-on-one talks between North Korea and the United States, saying they may actually strengthen the broader six-party talks.

Clinton meanwhile saw a silver lining in the case of two American journalists who have been detained for weeks and who now face a trial on June 4, following an announcement by the North Koreans on Thursday.

"Actually the trial date being set, we view as a welcome timeframe," Clinton said. "We believe that the charges are baseless and should not have been brought and these two young women should be released immediately."

But she added that "the fact that they are now going to have some process we believe is a signal that there can be and I hope will be a resolution as soon as possible."

The North Koreans gave no details of the charges against the two women who were detained on March 17 along the narrow Tumen River which marks the border with China.

The North has previously said they would go on trial for "hostile acts" and illegally entering the country. Their trial would be held "on the basis of the confirmed crimes committed by them," it has announced.

Euna Lee, a Korean-American, and Laura Ling, a Chinese-American, were working on a story about refugees fleeing the hardline communist North.

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