North Korea says that it would not be able to continue discussing possible solutions to a nuclear standoff unless the United States dropped demands for a complete dismantlement of the North's nuclear arms program.

In a news conference early Friday morning, Pak Myong-kuk, a North Korean delegate to working group talks, denounced the U.S. demand, calling it "the kind of humiliating measure that can only be imposed on a country defeated in a war."

However, Pak left the door open for further discussions, saying the North would continue to participate in the third day of the six-way working group meeting Friday with patience.

Pak said Pyongyang was prepared to discuss the scope, timing and the length of a freeze of its nuclear activities and methods of verification but that Washington has refused to budge from its position of demanding the North's complete nuclear dismantlement.

Pak's comments came as the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, Russia and host China were set to enter their third day of working-level discussions on discussing details to hold a fresh round of six-party nuclear talks.