A close aide to former President Kim Dae-jung said Tuesday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has ordered his delegates to the six-party nuclear talks to resolve all issues regarding Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program before U.S. President George W. Bush’s term ends.

Jang Sung-min, who heads the World and Northeast Asia Peace Forum, quoted a “well-informed source about North Korea” as saying Kim Jong-il ordered his officials to discuss all details at the six-party working group talks, scheduled for next month in their entirety. He added that the North’s aim was to conclude all of its issues with Washington before the Bush administration comes to a close.

Jang also quoted the source as saying that while Pyongyang has not shown deep interest in an inter-Korean summit so far, its position could change depending on the progress made at the six-party working group talks next month.