World News : IAEA sees no prospect now for North Korea visit

VIENNA (World News) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog chief said on Monday it had become clear through recent contacts with North Korea that there was no immediate prospect of the Vienna-based atomic agency visiting the Asian state.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said in early April it needed more information before it could take up an invitation from Pyongyang to travel to the reclusive country three years after the IAEA's inspectors were expelled.

North Korea said later that month it was no longer bound by an agreement with the United States for a moratorium on missile and nuclear tests and the return of IAEA inspectors.

"Since an attempt by the DPRK (North Korea) to launch a 'satellite', the agency has been carefully monitoring the situation," IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said, referring to a failed test-launch of a long-range missile in April.

"Through recent contacts with the DPRK, it has become clear that there is no immediate prospect of an agency mission taking place," he told the IAEA's 35-nation governing board, according to a copy of his remarks at the closer-door meeting.

Amano, a veteran Japanese diplomat, called on the North to comply with its obligations under U.N. Security Council resolutions and to cooperate "promptly and fully" with the IAEA.