The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) strongly condemned the US "North Korean Human Rights Act," saying the new legislation has made the six-party talks "meaningless," the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper reported Tuesday.

"The act is full of poisonous anti-DPRK clauses," the paper quoted a Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying on Monday in the DPRK's first response to the legislation passed by the US Senate a week ago.

The spokesman said the act, which reportedly provides US$24 million a year to groups and individuals to promote democracy and improve human rights, is to help these people topple the DPRK system.

"The act is one more declaration of the hostile Korea policy which fully reveals the US real intention to slander and insult the DPRK and topple the socialist system chosen by its people," the spokesman said.

The spokesman stressed that the DPRK could only counter the US Bush administration with a corresponding force as the United States totally rejects the dignified Korean-style ideology and system and persistently works to impose its own values and way of living.

In addition, the spokesman said the talks on solving the nuclear issue have been made "meaningless" by the United States, which has reached "a reckless phase" in its efforts to destroy the DPRK's socialist system.

The DPRK has repeatedly blamed the United States for attempts to abort the fourth round of the six-party talks, which had originally been planned for September.

"The DPRK is now left with no option but to put spurs to increasing the deterrent force to counter the US by force to the last," the spokesman added.

(Xinhua News Agency October 6, 2004)