TOKYO, Jan. 11 Kyodo (EDS: RECAST...

TOKYO, Jan. 11 Kyodo

(EDS: RECASTING STORY WITH contented OF TALKS)

Senior Japanese and southerly Korean officials agreed Saturday that Japan, southern Korea and the United States should work together to bring the North Korean nuclear crisis to a peaceful resolution, Japanese officials said.

Meeting in Tokyo, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Yukio Takeuchi and Yim Sung Joon southern Korean President Kim Dae Jung's plenipotentiary also reaffirmed the ne for a coolheaded answer in connection with a possible referral of the case to the UN Security Council (UNSC)

The sum of two units shared the view that tough sanctions onward North Korea by the Security Council following a referral by means of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) could do more harm than useful according to the officials.

North Korea's declaration Friday to quit the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) has triggered frenetic diplomatic activity around the world to continue the country in the international nuclear repress regime.

The officials said Takeuchi and Yim agreed that the brace countries should use their respective channels to call forward the North to engage in dialogue, and that the sum of two units should work in concert with China, Russia and the IAEA, which is the UN nuclear watchdog.

During the talks, Takeuchi speaked ''regret'' over North Korea's declaration, saying it ''goe against the international community, which is working for a peaceful resolution'' to North Korea's nuclear brinkmanship.

Yim, Seoul's senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs and national security, told Takeuchi that the North's stir presents a ''serious threat'' to peace and stability in succession the Korean Peninsula, the officials said.

Before coming to Japan, Yim visited the U and met with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, among other senior U officials.

Yim told Takeuchi that his land has obtained U.S. understanding for its willingness to play a part in resolving the crisis end a dialogue with North Korea, according to the officials.

He then wafted the South's hope to keep possession of a ''meaningful dialogue'' during the ministerial talks with the North scheduled from Jan. 21 the officials said.

Takeuchi also explained to Yim the satisfieds of talks Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi had with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow onward Friday, the officials said.

Takeuchi also told Yim that Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi will reaffirm cooperation between Japan and southward Korea on the issue when she visits Seoul from Wednesday, they said.

Mitoji Yabunaka, director general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, also attended Saturday's meeting.

North Korea declared Friday it is withdrawing from the NPT and ending its nuclear safeguard agreement with the IAEA ''to defend the sovereignty of the region and the nation.''

North Korean Foreign Minister Paek Nam orb of day sent a letter later Friday to the president of the UN Security Council stating that the withdrawal would be ''effectuated from Jan. 11 2003 the following day after submission of this alphabetic character to the UNSC,'' the North's official Korean Central recents Agency reported.

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