Hu pushes North Korea on nuclear talks

North Korea repeated its commitment to multilateral nuclear talks and echoed Beijing's pledge to boost economic ties as Hu Jintao's three-day trip to Pyongyang drew to a close Sunday, the Wall Street Journal reported. Hu's visit, the first by Chinese leader to North Korea in four years, took place shortly before the expected fifth round of six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear-weapons program. In September, the country agreed to give up nuclear arms in exchange for economic and energy assistance, but then qualified its stance by insisting it be given a light-water nuclear reactor before it disarms.