The North agreed earlier this week to return to the arms talks after Washington said it would address financial restrictions that have limited the regime's access to outside banks.

"Results of the six-party (talks) depend on the US attitude," Kim Yong Nam told a visiting South Korean delegation, Yonhap news agency reported from Beijing.

The comments indicate a breakthrough could be tough to achieve. North Korea has boycotted the talks which also include China, Japan, Russia and South Korea since November 2005.

Kim accused the US of seeking to bolster the Republican Party's popularity ahead of next week's midterm elections.

"The US has used the six-party talks for its elections, rather than promoting solutions to fundamental problems between North Korea and the US," he said.

The North Korean official claimed Pyongyang had given the US a way to save face and discuss the financial restrictions by the North proposing to return to the arms talks.