Seoul: Time to push for nuclear talks without North Korea

South Korean President Park Geun-hye speaks during a joint briefing from the foreign, unification and defense ministries at the presidential house in Seoul, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016. President Park questioned the role of long-dormant North Korean nuclear disarmament talks, saying Friday it’s time that regional powers meet without the North in the wake its recent nuclear test. AP

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s president has questioned the role of long-dormant North Korean nuclear disarmament talks and says it is time that regional powers meet without the North.

The so-called six-nation talks aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear program in return for aid remain stalled since December 2008. Pyongyang has since conducted three nuclear tests, including one on Jan. 6.

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The six countries are the two Koreas, the US, China, Russia and Japan.

President Park Geun-hye said Friday that it is time to push for a five-nation meeting without North Korea but did not offer specifics.

She urges China, the North’s last major ally, to try to make North Korea follow in Iran’s footsteps.

READ: US envoy urges China ‘leadership’ in sanctioning N. Korea

Teheran last year agreed to curb its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.