WASHINGTON - Six-party talks on ending North Korea's nuclear program will resume "around December 16" in Beijing, the US State Department said.

US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill speaks to the media on arrival in Beijing, November 2006. Six-party talks on ending North Korea's nuclear program will take place "around December 16" in Beijing, the US State Department said.[AFP]

Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill will lead the US delegation to the talks "around December 16" in the Chinese capital, State Department spokeswoman Joanne Moore told AFP.

Moore said she expected the State Department to announce a firm date on Monday.

Efforts to resume the disarmament talks, which broke off in November 2005 when Pyonygang walked out in protest at US financial sanctions, were given renewed urgency when the North tested an atomic device for the first time October 9.

"At this discussion, we expect that the parties will discuss ways to implement the September 2005 joint statement," Moore said.

A senior South Korean government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Sunday: "We are preparing for the talks in expectations that the next round will open in the week starting on December 18."

He said host China would announce a fixed talks schedule shortly.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency earlier said China, which had proposed December 16 as a preferred date, was readjusting the schedule for the talks to reopen either on December 18 or 19.

The six-party talks include the United States, China, the two Koreas, Japan and Russia.