The first step would be to hold discussions in Pyongyang on Tuesday with officials of the UN nuclear watchdog on shutting down the country's nuclear facilities, the DPRK’s KCNA news agency quoted a Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying.

"As the funds that had been frozen at Macau's Banco Delta Asia have been transferred as we demanded, this issue is finally resolved," he said.

He said there could now be "action for action": "As part of that, there will be discussions with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) delegates on June 26 in Pyongyang on shutting down nuclear facilities and beginning inspections and monitoring."

Earlier, Russia's Dalkombank said US$25 million, frozen after the United States accused the DPRK of laundering illicit funds for the reclusive country, had been transferred to Pyongyang.