US Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned Tuesday that North Korea could have long-range ballistic missiles within five years that would pose a direct threat to the United States, reflecting growing concerns over Pyongyang's arsenal.

His comments represented a shift in the US view of North Korea's military power, describing the hardline regime in Pyongyang as making headway in its efforts to develop missiles that could potentially carry nuclear warheads.

"I think North Korea will have developed an intercontinental ballistic missile within that timeframe (five years)," Gates told reporters during a visit to Beijing, where he discussed tensions on the Korean peninsula.

Gates, who met Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday, said he had conveyed to the Communist leaders in Beijing that their allies in Pyongyang would soon present a danger to the United States.

"With the North Koreans' continued development of nuclear weapons and their development of intercontinental ballistic missiles, North Korea is becoming a direct threat to the United States and we have to take that into account," he said.

North Korea has test-fired three ICBMs, most recently in April 2009 when one flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific.

Gates said the North could have a "limited" number of such missiles in five years, placing the US Pacific coast under potential threat.

The Pentagon chief said the United States appreciated the "helpful role" played by Beijing in recent months in containing the Korean crisis, after Pyongyang shelled a South Korean island in November, killing four people.

But he also said there had been a "sea change" in attitudes in South Korea, with the country's population outraged over Pyongyang's recent "provocations."

"Their tolerance for not responding has changed," he said.

Apart from the November 23 attack on Yeonpyeong island, the North stands accused by the South of torpedoing a warship last March with the loss of 46 lives. Pyongyang denies the charge.

The angry public reaction in South Korea had changed the "status quo" and it was vital that North Korea took actions to resolve the crisis, he said.

"Rhetoric is not enough at this point. There need to be some concrete actions by the North to demonstrate that they're truly serious about negotiation and engagement," he said.

Positive steps might include the North implementing a freeze on further missile or nuclear tests, he said.

US officials have sometimes expressed impatience with China's approach to North Korea, but Gates made a point of praising Beijing's diplomatic efforts during his visit.

However, his grave assessment of the situation on the divided peninsula and the North's weapons projects amount to renewed US pressure on China to rein in Pyongyang's leadership.

Gates said he expected the issue to come up in meetings later this week in Tokyo and Seoul, and when Hu visits Washington next week.

Pyongyang has expressed conditional willingness to return to six-nation nuclear disarmament talks that it abandoned in April 2009, a month before staging its second nuclear test.

But it fuelled regional fears in November by disclosing a uranium enrichment plant which could potentially give it a second route to a bomb.

The communist state this week officially proposed "unconditional" dialogue with Seoul, less than two months after the shelling assault.

The South rejected the offer, saying it was willing to hold government-level talks but only if the North admits responsibility for a series of provocations and confirms a commitment to scrapping its nuclear programme.

North Korea on Tuesday criticised South Korea's response, insisting it was sincere in trying to mend relations after months of tensions.

earlier related report
S. Korea doubts North move, Gates warns on ICBMs
Seoul (AFP) Jan 11, 2011 - South Korea Tuesday dismissed North Korea's peace overtures as insincere as the US defence chief warned that Pyongyang's missiles would pose a direct threat to his country within five years.

The North's offer of dialogue, less than two months after it bombarded a border island, fits a "repeated pattern of provocations followed by peace overtures," said Seoul's Unification Minister Hyun In-Taek.

"It's regrettable that the North, while offering dialogue, admits no responsibility for the casualties among our people," Hyun told a forum. "And we can't see any sincerity in such a stance."

The US State Department also responded sceptically Monday, saying the North has entered "the charm stage" after a year of provocations.

Cross-border tensions have been high since the South, the United States and other nations accused the North of torpedoing a South Korean warship last March with the loss of 46 lives. Pyongyang denies involvement.

A North Korean artillery and rocket attack on November 23 on the South's Yeonpyeong island killed four people including civilians, and sparked fears of broader conflict on the peninsula.

But this month the Pyongyang regime abruptly changed tack and called in a New Year message for improved relations.

On Monday it sent official messages proposing dialogue with Seoul.

The South rejected the offer. It said it was willing to hold government-level talks but the North must admit responsibility for provocations and confirm a commitment to scrapping its nuclear programme.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, during a visit to Beijing, also raised fears about the communist state's missile development.

The North, he said, could develop intercontinental ballistic missiles within five years that would pose a direct threat to the United States.

"I think North Korea will have developed an intercontinental ballistic missile within that timeframe," Gates told reporters.

"With the North Koreans' continued development of nuclear weapons and their development of intercontinental ballistic missiles, North Korea is becoming a direct threat to the United States and we have to take that into account," he said.

North Korea has test-fired three ICBMs, most recently in April 2009 when one flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific.

Gates said the United States appreciates the "helpful role" played by Beijing -- Pyongyang's sole major ally -- in containing the crisis sparked by the shelling.

But he also said there had been a "sea change" in attitudes in South Korea, with its people outraged over recent "provocations".

"Their tolerance for not responding has changed," he said.

Pyongyang's government newspaper Minju Josun accused Seoul of dampening hopes for better relations by rejecting its dialogue offer.

"Those who question our sincerity need to read our statement thoroughly. It offered extensive talks and negotiations with no conditions attached," said an editorial carried by the official news agency.

"Whether we have sincerity or not will be confirmed once we sit down face to face," the newspaper said, urging Seoul to "immediately stop libels and provocations".

Minister Hyun said the North "needs to bring down the walls created by itself and show determination and actions on denuclearisation".

Pyongyang has expressed conditional willingness to return to six-nation nuclear disarmament talks that it abandoned in April 2009, a month before staging a second nuclear test.

But it fuelled regional fears in November by disclosing a uranium enrichment plant which could potentially give it a second route to a bomb.