Clinton: US Hopes for Better Relations With NKorea

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham has expressed hopes for improved relations with North Korea in her first public comments on the death of its leader Kim Jong Il.

Clinton said the situation on the Korean Peninsula was "evolving." She was speaking Monday after meeting at the State Department with visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba.

Clinton said U.S. and Japan share a common interest in a stable transition in North Korea as well as ensuring regional peace and stability. She said that they have been in touch with other governments involved in six-party disarmament talks on North Korea's nuclear program.