South Korea has ruled out any summit with rival North Korea until it agrees to scrap its nuclear weapons programme.

The two sides held a landmark summit in 2000 but relations have cooled in recent years because of the communist state's missile launches and nuclear weapons test.

"An inter-Korean summit will be difficult for the time being," President Roh Moo-Hyun told a New Year news conference.

"Only after the conclusion of the six-party talks would inter-Korean issues be fully tackled."

The six-party talks, involving the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States, aim to persuade the North to dismantle its nuclear programme in return for energy and economic aid and security guarantees.

The next round is expected early next month and Seoul said Wednesday it expects some progress amid signs of flexibility from Washington and Pyongyang.Roh's government has pursued a "sunshine" policy of engagement with its neighbour. There has been media speculation Roh may seek a summit with the North's leader Kim Jong-Il to boost the prospects of his preferred candidate in the December 2007 presidential election.

Roh also said he does not know if the North will go ahead with a second nuclear weapons test following its first in October.

"I don't know if it's possible or not ... but we're fully prepared for any unexpected situation," he said.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said Wednesday that Seoul would strengthen surveillance of the North's nuclear activity this year and build up defences.

Provided by AFP.