Officials of the United States and Noth Korea will hold talks next month on North Korea's alleged counterfeiting and money laundering activities, State Department deputy spokesman Ad am Ereli said on Thursday.

"We had an offer on the table for some time to the North Koreans to come for a briefing on actions that we have taken in response to illicit financial activities. They have agreed to do that," Ereli said.

The talks will be held on March 7 in New York and will be given by the US Treasury Department and attended by US State Department and National Security Council officials, Ereli said.

The talks have nothing to do with the six-party talks aimed at resolving the DPRK nuclear issue, Ereli said.

The United States imposed sanctions on North Korea last year after it accused the country of counterfeiting and money laundering.

(Xinhua News Agency February 24, 2006)