The government is considering renewing its energy aid proposal to North Korea as an incentive for the North to abandon its nuclear weapons program at the upcoming nuclear talks.

A government official said Seoul will try to persuade Pyongyang to give up its nuclear ambitions in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner in return for the sweeping energy assistance.

The official said the government would first try to convince the United States and Japan on the need to provide the North with an "extraordinary" energy assistance program as an incentive for its nuclear dismantlement.

On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Lee Soo-hyuck, attending a forum on the South Korean economy in London, said he is confident that Pyongyang would abandon its nuclear program. Lee said when and how Pyongyang does it depends on corresponding compensation.

South Korea, the United States and Japan are scheduled to hold talks on Sunday and Monday to fine-tune their positions ahead of the third round of six-nation talks, tentatively set for June 23rd to the 25th.