Japan's Kyodo news agency reported Saturday that North Korean officials repeatedly denied the existence of an uranium enrichment program in the country, when they met with a visiting U.S. delegation led by congressman Curt Weldon.

The news agency said the uranium enrichment program is key to the complete dismantlement of Pyongyang's nuclear program, and predicted the future course of six-way talks, even if resumed, would be far from smooth sailing, as North Korea is flatly denying its uranium program.

Kyodo cited a U.S. government official as saying that North Korean officials had told the U.S. lawmakers that Pyongyang is willing to rejoin the dialogue process, as long as Washington no longer employs hostile policies toward its nation.

The U.S. official reportedly expected the multilateral talks to resume, possibly by late February or early March.