"The United States has connived at and encouraged the moves for ballistic missile development in South Korea under its domination," the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a dispatch monitored here.

Caption: TV picture released by WTN shows the launching of North Korean multi-stage rocket 31 August, which North Korea claims carries its first satellite at Musudan-ri, Hwadae County, in North Hamgyong province, North Korea's official radio reported. Officials in the United States, South Korea and Japan are at odds with North Korea over whether the launch was a successful satellite vehicle or a Taepo-Dong 1 medium-range ballistic missile, as they had earlier insisted.

KCNA, citing statements issued by the North's umbrella union and its socialist youth league, said Washington, was however "decrying" Pyongyang's "peaceful" satellite launch "as a missile launch and threat."

"Such double-dealing attitude of the United States betrays its unchangeable aggressive ambition to stifle the DPRK (North Korea) by force," it said.

The North's accusation came after US and South Korean missile negotiators ended three-day talks here Saturday on Seoul's ambition to extend its missile range to up to 500 kilometers (312 miles).

During the talks which the US embassy here described as "productive and concrete," both sides, however, failed to strike a deal.

"Some differences remain, however, which the US hopes will be resolved as soon as possible," the embassy said Saturday.

Reports said both sides agreed "in principle" to extend Seoul's missile range to 300 kilometers, but they differed over the research and development of longer ranged missiles.

"This is an extremely adventurous arms buildup aimed at escalating the military confrontation between the North and South (Korea) and bringing the situation in Korea to the brink of war," KCNA warned.

It called on Seoul and Washington to halt "their criminal ballistic missile development," stressing that the two countries "will be held fully responsible for the ensuing dangerous consequences."

Seoul's missile range has long been set at 180 kilometers in a 1979 agreement with Washington. In return, Seoul received US technology.

North Korea is believed to possess long-range missiles, which intelligence officials said could hit parts of the US mainland, including Alaska, Hawaii and Guam, after stepping up its missile capability.

Seoul has complained that its existing missiles cannot hit targets further north than Pyongyang, falling far short of its perceived need to have all North Korean territory within range.

US and North Korean officials ended in Berlin last Friday one week of "serious and constructive" talks on improving relations.

But no tangible progress was announced or reported after the talks.

The latest talks came after their previous round of talks in Berlin in September, where the North agreed to suspend further missile tests for partial easing of the US economic embargo against Pyongyang.

The United States and its allay South Korea have remained in hostile relations with North Korea since the 1950-53 Korean conflict.

Copyright 1999 AFP. All rights reserved. The material on this page is provided by AFP and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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