Uttering just his name can be regarded as an intolerable insult to North Koreans who adore their "Dear Leader" as a demi-god. This is why South Korean travelers and officials call Kim "chairman."

Kim has ruled the reclusive nation in the capacity of the chairman of the National Defense Commission since 1998 when North Korea abolished the office of state president, declaring Kim's deceased father Kim Il Sung as the "eternal president of the Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea."

North Korea, which has furiously responded to criticism against its leadership by U.S. officials, gave a rare appraisal of U.S. President George W. Bush on Friday, noting his recent reference to Kim Jong Il using the title "mister."

The North's Foreign Ministry said Bush was reported as "politely addressing our headquarters of revolution," a reference to Kim Jong Il.

In a statement, the ministry said North Korea will closely watch whether Bush's use of "mister" is a shift in Washington's "hostile" policy toward the communist nation, noting the softened tone could lead to its return to nuclear arms talks.

"If Bush's remarks put an end to the scramble between the hawkish group and the moderate group in the United States, which has thrown the Korean policy into a state of confusion, it would help create an atmosphere of the six-party talks," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"We will closely follow if his remarks would not change day and night, as this happened in the past," said the statement quoted by the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency. The statement referred to Bush as "president" and avoided any derogatory comments toward him.

At a Tuesday news conference, Bush used "mister" when he referred to Kim during which he defended his focus on using diplomacy to try to coax North Korea back to the six-nation nuclear talks to curb Pyongyang's nuclear weapons drive.

"And so it's a matter of continuing to send a message to Mr. Kim Jong Il that if you want to be accepted by the neighborhood and be a part of those who are viewed with respect in the world, work with us to get rid of your nuclear weapons program," Bush said.

In the Friday statement, the North's Foreign Ministry demanded that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice retract her description of North Korea as an "outpost of tyranny," a demand already rejected by Rice.

"If the United Sates truly wants a peaceful solution to the nuclear issue, it should make a bold decision to withdraw the remark 'an outpost of tyranny' to remove the biggest hurdle lying in the way of resuming the six-party talks," the statement said.

The North's appraisal comes just one day after it labeled U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney as "the most cruel monster" and "bloodthirsty beast," in an angry response to his description of Kim Jong Il as "one of the world's most irresponsible leaders" who runs a police state and leaves his people in poverty and malnutrition.

"What Cheney uttered at a time when the issue of the six-party talks is high on the agenda is little short of telling the DPRK not to come out for the talks," the Foreign Ministry said.

His remarks "clearly indicate his inveterate rejection of the political system in the DPRK and his intention to put the brake on the process of the six-party talks," the statement said.

The ministry said North Korea would never return to the nuclear talks as long as U.S. officials continue making pejorative remarks against its top leadership. North Korea has boycotted the six-nation talks for a year, raising skepticism about a diplomatic approach to end the nuclear standoff.

The personality cult is the hallmark of Kim Jong Il's politics. He has long relied on it to maintain his grip on power in the hermit nation.

North Korea said some 1,200 titles and phrases have been created by world leaders to refer to Kim Jong Il, such as "The Guardian deity of the planet," "Sun of the 21st century," "Lode star of humanity," and "Saint of saints."

Recently, the North used a Time magazine report on Kim, saying foreign media joined in the lavish praise on the leader. In its April 18 issue, the U.S. magazine listed Kim Jong Il in its section of leaders and revolutionaries among the world's 100 most influential people, certainly for his notoriety over his missile and nuclear weapons ambitions.

"Aside from Osama Bin Laden there's probably no one George W. Bush would rather be rid of than Kim Jong Il, North Korea's dictator," Time said in an article for Kim, titled, "Dear Leader Goes Nuclear."

"Our leader Kim Jong Il showing enormous ability in the global political community was contained in the list," said the North's state-run Korean Central Broadcasting Station. "Media in various foreign nations admired Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il as the world's most great and influential figure," the radio report said.

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