Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Speaking in the wake of harsh, anti-US rhetoric coming out of Pyongyang, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Liu Jianchao said his country was urging all sides involved in the North Korean nuclear weapons issue to exercise restraint and do nothing that might be detrimental to the resumption of the six-nation talks.

The warning seems directed at North Korean government which has just announced that its scientists have removed spent fuel rods from its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon.

Late this morning, South Korea also expressed serious concern about the North Korean statement.

"Such a move by North Korea runs counter to moves to make the Korean peninsula free of nuclear weapons [and] the government is expressing deep concerns," the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said in its website, adding that while all countries involved are committed to resume the six-nation talks, North Korea should avoid doing anything that might have a negative impact on them.

In addition to the two Koreas, the six-nation talks include China, the United States, Japan and Russia.

Experts warn that the North Korean could have extracted enough nuclear material from the fuel rods for at least two atomic bombs.