North Korea agreed to return to nuclear-disarmament talks with its four neighbors and the US. China brokered the deal as countries around the world prepared to enforce sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council following the country's first nuclear test on October 9, the <i>Wall Street Journal</i> reported. As part of the deal, the US agreed to discuss financial restrictions it imposed on the Pyongyang regime last November after accusing it of money laundering. North Korea maintains it abandoned the six-nations talks on nuclear disarmament in retaliation to the financial sanctions and has previously ruled out a return to the table while they remain in place. Some US officials expressed concern over whether North Korea plans to actually engage in talks and isn't simply trying to dodge UN sanctions. A new round of talks could occur as soon as mid-November, diplomats in Beijing said.
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