A North Korean delegate to inter-Korean economic talks in Pyongyang says that his country will not return the USS Pueblo, a U.S. Navy intelligence vessel it captured in 1968.

Chief delegate Chu Tong-chan said Thursday that his government saw no reason to return the Pueblo to Washington and had no intention of doing so.

Chu's remarks come amid reports that North Korea had offered to return the ship when New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson visited Pyongyang last week. The ship is on display on the Daedong River flowing through the North Korean capital.