Hill, who is on a regional tour to push for a quick resumption of six-party talks, said neither the communist North nor its negotiating partners "want to walk away" from a landmark deal forged in February last year.

The US assistant secretary of state also took the opportunity to meet with officials in South Korea's incoming conservative government who formally take power next month following December presidential elections.

Hill acknowledged North Korea had missed a December 31 deadline to disable its nuclear facilities and give a full declaration of its atomic programmes in return for economic aid.

"I think it was a very realistic set of objectives," he said after a series of meetings here. "We did not meet the timeframe but I think we ought to... be a little patient.

"I don't think anyone should be in a panic mode about this."

Under the February accord, brokered in the wake of North Korea's first ever nuclear bomb test in October 2006, the regime in Pyongyang committed itself to end its weapons drive.

In return it would get up to a million tonnes of fuel or equivalent aid as well as diplomatic concessions, including being taken off a US list of states that sponsor terrorism.

Hill said Pyongyang still had to provide a complete declaration -- a major sticking point slowing down the disarmament process agreed by the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States.

"So we have to kind of work on this in coming days and weeks. I think the DPRK (North Korea) has every interest in trying to resolve this," he added.

"I think we need to be firm about the fact that when it is written that it should be a complete declaration, it should be a complete declaration. So we will work on it and see how we do.

"If the DPRK wants to get this done, they know how to get this done," Hill added, saying the North "will see from us a lot of goodwill and willingness to follow up on our obligations as well."

His visit to Seoul comes at a critical time as South Korea prepares for a new conservative government after a decade of liberal rule.

He met current government officials, including Seoul's chief nuclear envoy Chun Yung-Woo, as well as those who are expected to be involved after the new administration takes over.

Hill also met Foreign Minister Song Min-Soon over breakfast before seeing President Roh Moo-Hyun and his key foreign policy advisor for talks on future US-SKorean relations and the nuclear disarmament process.

The US envoy will meet Thursday with incoming president Lee Myung-Bak, who has signalled a tougher line on the North than under Roh.

Setting the stage for those talks, he met Wednesday with Park Geun-Hye, an influential politician in Lee's Grand National Party, and Park Jin, a lawmaker in charge of drawing up a new foreign policy.

No details of those closed-door discussions were revealed.

Hill had stressed the need on arrival here Tuesday for a strong bilateral alliance to resolve the nuclear issue, saying "we would look forward to having a very close relationship with the next government."

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