The Foreign Ministry has denied a Japanese newspaper's report that Pyongyang had unofficially conveyed to Seoul that it is willing to return to the six-nation nuclear talks in June.

A ministry official said Monday that Seoul had received no such message from the communist state, denying the report by Japan's Sankei Shimbun.

The Sankei said Monday that Pyongyang had told Seoul through unofficial channels of its plan to return to the nuclear negotiations, adding that the Japanese government was also aware of such a move by the North through unofficial contact with South Korea.

According to the daily, the North's move apparently comes as Pyongyang is concerned that Seoul might consider assuming a hard-line stance toward the communist state following its declaration of being a nuclear power.

The report forecast that in the next round of nuclear talks, Pyongyang would seek to reach an agreement on getting economic incentives for its nuclear dismantlement and then aim to adopt an accord with the U.S. that would focus on Washington's dropping of what Pyongyang calls "hostile" policy toward the North.

According to the daily, North Korea may likely declare around next month its willingness to rejoin the nuclear talks since working-level discussions on preparations for prospective talks in June would need to be held in May at the latest.