North Korea has no intention of abandoning its nuclear arms quest, even for the sake of U.S. aid, a senior Pyongyang ruling party official indicated to Antonio Inoki, a former pro wrestler and ex-Diet member, earlier this month.
Inoki quoted Kim Yong Il, secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, as effectively noting Libya stopped pursuing atomic weapons and the regime of its long-running dictator, Moammar Gadhafi, was overthrown by a restive populace with outside assistance.
Inoki on Monday quoted the head of the party's international department as saying, "We will not make the same mistake."
Kim Yong Il, who ranked 16th in the list of funeral committee members for the late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, served as the chief delegate to the first round of the six-party talks on denuclearizing North Korea in August 2003.
Known as a disciple of the late wrestler Rikidozan, who hailed from an area that is now part of North Korea, Inoki said he met with Kim Yong Il on April 15 and 16 during his five-day visit from April 13 to attend a series of festivities to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, the hermit state's founder.