The Foreign Ministry says it is trying to confirm the accuracy of a New York Times report that a top Pakistani scientist was shown three nuclear devices in North Korea.

But an initial response from a senior ministry official was skeptical. The official, who refused to be identified, said Tuesday that Seoul is trying to confirm the report's veracity as it allegedly contains "unclear and ambiguous points."

The official said Seoul has been closely exchanging information on North Korea's nuclear development ambitions with concerned parties and that it recently was provided with some information regarding the Pakistani's recent claim to have seen the nuclear devices.

In Washington, a senior official at the South Korean Embassy predicted the report would not have a direct impact on the six-way nuclear talks. He said that the issue of contention before the six-party forum is whether Pyongyang has a uranium-enrichment program, adding that the report of the Pakistani scientist's claim concerns plutonium.

Asked if Washington has pressed Seoul to speed up the deployment of additional troops to Iraq or change deployment locations, the official said no such demands have been made.

Additionally, on reports that Seoul is considering the Yongsan area as a prospective site for the new U.S. embassy in Seoul, the official said Yongsan is being considered as an alternative site.