South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun yesterday urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to make a "strategic decision" to accept a security guarantee and hefty economic assistance in return for abandoning its nuclear program.

　　"Now is the time for North Korea to make a decision," Roh said in a speech to an international symposium at the Shilla Hotel in central Seoul to mark the fifth anniversary of the historic inter-Korean summit in June 2000 between then South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong-il.

　　"North Korea should lay the groundwork for regime stabilization and economic development," he said. "We will actively support such an effort by North Korea in cooperation with the international community and we are preparing a comprehensive, concrete and active measure for that," Roh was quoted as saying by South Korean Yonhap News Agency.

　　"If North Korea returns to the six-party talks, I think we will be able to have a more flexible and progressive dialogue," Roh said.

　　Roh's remarks followed his summit talks with US President George W. Bush last Saturday in Washington when they reaffirmed their pledge to resolve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula peacefully through the six-party talks.

　　(Xinhua)