North Korea has rejected a U.S. demand for the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantling of its nuclear weapons programs.

In a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency Tuesday, the North Korean Foreign Ministry also demanded concessions from the United States in return for a partial nuclear freeze.

The statement said nothing should be expected from the forthcoming talks if the U.S. continues to insist on complete, verifiable and irreversible nuclear dismantlement. The ministry added that such a demand could only be forced upon a defeated country.

The North's announcement came shortly after China confirmed Tuesday that the third round of six-nation talks on North Korea's atomic program will be held next week in Beijing.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said that the talks involving the two Koreas, the United States China, Japan and Russia have been scheduled for June 23rd to the 26th.

The six-way nuclear talks will be preceded by two days of working group meetings beginning next Monday to lay the groundwork for the main discussions.