The United States urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Friday to return to the six-party talks "in a constructive, responsible manner."

"North Korea needs to listen to the world and what the world is telling it," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said at a briefing.

"We would encourage the North Korean regime to act in a constructive, responsible manner, set a date to come back to the six-party talks," he said.

During the last round of the six-party talks in Beijing in September last year, the DPRK agreed to dismantle its nuclear program in return for security guarantees and energy aids.

However, the DPRK has said it will not return to the talks if the United States does not lift the sanctions imposed on the country last year.

Source: Xinhua