Unification Minister Chung Dong-young says North Korea on Friday proposed a five-phase "roadmap" on its nuclear dismantlement at the end of the six-way nuclear talks in Beijing.

Speaking to the Korea Broadcast Reporters' Association in Seoul Monday, Chung said the North also reaffirmed its intent to scrap its nuclear program.

The five steps included a halt to nuclear testing, transfer, additional production and related activities, weapon dismantlement through verification and the North's return to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

On a second inter-Korean summit, Chung said that though the two Koreas pledged to hold the next meeting in South Korea, the venue is not as important as the summit itself.

Hinting that the North's leader Kim Jong-il might not have to visit Seoul, Chung said the situation on the Korean Peninsula has changed since the 2000 inter-Korean summit.

The fifth round of the nuclear talks on Friday went into recess without setting the resumption date due to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit opening late this week.