North Korea said willing to discuss restrictions on missile program

Madeleine Albright smiles at North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang on Monday

From CNN's Andrea Koppel

PYONGYANG, North Korea (CNN) -- Senior U.S. State Department officials said Tuesday that Secretary of State Madeleine Albright had "gotten a green light" from North Korea to discuss restraints on that country's missile program.

Albright, the highest-ranking U.S. official to ever visit North Korea, has met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il for six hours over the last two days.

AUDIO CNN Correspondent Andrea Koppel reports on North Korea's position on ending its missile program 509K/47 sec. AIFF or WAV sound     IN-DEPTH Korea: States of War

MESSAGE BOARD North and South Korea     ALSO North Koreans said willing to discuss restrictions on missile program

She told reporters that Kim had "quipped" during an event Monday night that North Korea had conducted "its first and last satellite launch" in August 1998 in which a missile flew over Japan.

During an earlier visit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kim suggested that Korea might halt its missile program if western nations, including the United States, offered to launch North Korea's satellites.

At a news conference, Albright said there had been progress in the talks but that much work remained to be done.

After her trip, Albright will make a recommendation to President Bill Clinton on whether he should visit North Korea, aides have said.

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South Korean government
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