Kim Jong-il, the North Korean leader, has reportedly offered to scrap his regime’s missile programmes if the US normalises relations with the rogue state, a move that would limit its ability to send nuclear warheads to Japan or the US.

Mr Kim made the offer during a meeting with Chung Dong-young, South Korea’s unification minister, in Pyongyang on Friday, at which he also pledged to return to six-party negotiations, possibly in July, to resolve the nuclear standoff if the US “recognises and respects” his country.