Seoul, Oct 21, SPA -- North Korea said Thursday thatprospects for talks on its nuclear weapons program looked"gloomy," and vowed to boost its "war deterrent force." "It was agreed at the third round of the six-party talksto hold the fourth round of the talks in September. But itsprospect remains gloomy," said the North's official newsagency, KCNA. Three rounds of six-nation talks have taken place inBeijing without much success in curbing North Korea'snuclear ambitions. The fourth round of talks scheduled forSeptember never took place because North Korea refused toattend. The six parties involved in the negotiations are theUnited States, the two Koreas, Japan, China and Russia. The KCNA commentary was released to mark the 10thanniversary of the so-called 1994 "agreed framework" dealbetween the United States and North Korea that froze theNorth's nuclear facilities in return for energy aid. That deal collapsed in late 2002 when U.S. officialsaccused the North of violating the accord by pursuing asecret nuclear program.--SPA1420 Local Time 1120 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/212419