video transcript

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton confirms that North Korea has agreed to a nuclear moratorium. In testimony before a congressional panel she described the status of the agreement. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON , SAYING: "The United States, I will be quick to add, still has profound concerns, but on the occasion of Kim Jung il's death, I said that it is our hope that the new leadership will choose to guide their nation onto the path of peace by living up to its obligations. Today's announcement represents a modest first step in the right direction." North Korea's KCNA news agency said that moratorium will include nuclear tests, long-range missile launches and enrichment of uranium. Pyongyang also said it would allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to monitor the moratorium on enrichment. It said North Korea made the decisions in response to a U.S. request and "with a view to maintaining positive atmosphere" for what it described as high-level North Korean U.S. talks. The announcement comes after Kim Jong-un was recently named Supreme Leader following the death of his father and North Korea's longtime leader Kim Jong-il in December. Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters.