U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the six-nation talks to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula will resume in Beijing December eighth.

She made the remark in an in-flight news conference while on her way to the U.S. from Lima, Peru, after attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

She said the goal of the next round of talks is to come up with an agreement on how to verify North Korea's nuclear declaration. She predicted a few more rounds of talks will be necessary given that Pyongyang has consistently pursued a nuclear program for the last 30 years.

A source in Washington said the U.S. and North Korea have made considerable progress on the verification issue during several bilateral contacts.

Next month's meeting will also assess Pyongyang's most recent nuclear disablement activities, including the ongoing extraction of spent nuclear fuel rods.

Parties will try to coordinate a timetable for the provision of economic aid to the North, including heavy fuel oil.

Since Japan has decided not to participate in the provisions, the source said the meeting will attempt to change Tokyo's stance and, if necessary, redistribute Japan's share of the burden among the other six-party members.