Kim Dae-jung

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States wants to discuss a call by South Korean President Kim Dae-jung to lift Western sanctions against North Korea, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said Tuesday.

"We have said before [that] if North Korea complies with the nuclear agreement with the U.S. and takes a number of other steps, that we're prepared to discuss the lifting of sanctions, but we want to see a little better performance on the part of North Korea," Bill Richardson said.

In a New York Times interview before his state visit to Washington next week, Kim proposed that the United States and other Western nations drop their sanctions.

State Department spokesman James Rubin said President Clinton will discuss the subject with Kim.

"We'll be interested in his views, but there's not much more to say at this point," Rubin said.

The South Korean president, a longtime democracy advocate and dissident who took office in February, has made conciliatory statements about North Korea in the past.

Richardson responds to Kim Dae-jung's proposal

Possible lifting of sanctions tied to nuclear deal

The United States leads a consortium of nations that struck a deal with North Korea after the 1950-53 Korean War to get that nation to suspend efforts to build nuclear weapons in exchange for two light-water nuclear reactors.

As part of the agreement to build the reactors and as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, North Korea is supposed to freeze their nuclear program and allow the International Atomic Energy Agency access for ongoing monitoring.

The IAEA says they have not yet been given full access for these inspections, which are part of the nonproliferation treaty. Construction of the reactors began late last year.

According to the IAEA, North Korea says they will allow monitoring when components of the new light-water reactors are delivered. The IAEA is pressing for compliance now.

U.S. officials have said they might ease the sanctions as part of the 1994 agreement that ended North Korea's nuclear program.

North Korea has complained that the United States has not moved fast enough.

Bacon: U.S. wants Kim to clarify his request

Pentagon spokesman Ken Bacon said Pentagon officials are looking forward to "clarification" of Kim comments. About 36,000 U.S. troops are still stationed in South Korea.

"There have been a number of increased dealings with North Korea, but North Korea remains a very militaristic, difficult regime to deal with," Bacon said. "But the first thing we have to do is sit down with President Kim and get a clarification from him -- have him explain what he meant."

North Korea and South Korea have been divided since the end of World War II. In 1950, the North invaded the South, but the United States and other nations intervened. The war was fought to a stalemate and an armistice was signed in 1953.

Talks aimed at drawing up a formal treaty have not been successful.