North Korea's top negotiator to the six-way nuclear talks says the North wants a light-water reactor first before abandoning its nuclear program.

Kim Gye-kwan, the North's vice foreign minister, told reporters Tuesday that Pyongyang has rejected Washington's demand for the North to drop its nuclear program first.

Kim made the remarks before leaving Beijing after wrapping up the fourth round of the six-way nuclear talks.

Saying his government pulled out of the Non-Proliferation Treaty due to the hostile U.S. policy towards the North, he urged Washington to show a change in attitude by providing the reactor first.