Cho Tae-yong, the chief of the Foreign Ministry's task force on North Korea's nuclear issue, insists that six-party talks must continue without being distracted by the Japanese abductee issue.

Cho said in a radio address Thursday that the abduction issue and efforts to resolve North Korea's nuclear standoff must be dealt with separately, adding that Tokyo was in agreement with this view.

Regarding National Security Advisor Kwon Chin-ho's prediction that a positive outcome would be forthcoming in the nuclear issue, Cho asserted that there is an increasing understanding among relevant parties that the standoff must be resolved within the six-party framework.

Cho added his belief that there would be fruitful results if the six-party talks were to resume at the earliest date possible.