Washington/Seoul  - The United States on Wednesday criticized North Korea's refusal to allow samples to be taken to verify its nuclear disarmament as the country again slowed the dismantlement of its nuclear facilities.

US State Department spokesman Robert Wood told reporters in Washington that in a deal made last month, the United States and North Korea had "basically agreed that experts could take samples and remove them from the country for testing."

He also added that the United States kept its part of the deal by shipping 500,00 metric tons of heavy fuel oil to the impoverished communist state.

Seoul - North Korea threatened Wednesday to close its borders with South Korea starting December 1, accusing Seoul of pursuing a confrontational policy against its neighbour.

North Korea would "strictly restrict and cut off all the overland passages" at the inter-Korean border, said a statement distributed by the country's official Korean Central News Agency.

London, Nov 12 : North Korea has said that it will shut all land borders with South Korea from the beginning of December, and accused its neighbour of provocation “beyond the danger level.”

The state-run Korean Central News Agency in Pyongyang released a statement in English, which said the North Korean military was taking measures to “strictly restrict and cut off all the overland passages through the Military Demarcation Line.”

Seoul  - North Korea threatened Wednesday to close its borders with South Korea starting December 1 as it accused Seoul of pursuing a confrontational policy against its neighbour.

North Korea would "strictly restrict and cut off all the overland passages" at the inter-Korean border, said a statement distributed by the country's official Korean Central News Agency.

South Korea's military was informed of the decision in a telephone message, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency said.

Tokyo, Nov. 11 : The North Korean Government has warned Japan that it could order its military forces to stop and board Japanese ships operating in the Sea of Japan or shadow military or civilian aircraft close to its territory if Tokyo steps up its sanctions against Pyongyang.

London, Nov. 7 : North Korean leader Kim jong Il’s recent spate of appearances is intended to remind the West, specifically America, that he is still in control of the nuclear-armed nation in spite of rumors that he had suffered a stroke in August.

“I think this is a message to the United States,” said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at Seoul’s University of North Korean Studies.