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North Korea on Friday vowed to shut down its nuclear facilities at Yongbyon as soon as it starts receiving 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil promised in a six-nation agreement sealed in February.

A spokesman for the North's Foreign Ministry also made it clear that the country will not wait until it receives the entire 50,000 tons.

"Prompted by the desire to facilitate the process of the six-party talks, the DPRK is now earnestly examining even the issue of suspending the operation of its nuclear facilities earlier than expected, that is, from the moment the first shipment of heavy oil equivalent to one-tenth of the total quantity is made," the unidentified spokesman was quoted as saying by his country's Korean Central News Agency.

The DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.

The spokesman added the countries involved in six-nation talks over his country's nuclear program have already been informed of Pyongyang's intention, according to the KCNA report.

The remarks followed an earlier announcement by Seoul that the first batch of 6,200 tons of heavy oil will be shipped out of a South Korean port Thursday.

Chun Yung-woo, South Korea's chief negotiator in the North Korea nuclear disarmament talks, said earlier Friday that the shipment will likely take "a couple of days" to reach North Korea.

The nuclear talks involve the two Koreas, the U.S., Japan, China and Russia.

The North Korean official's remarks are apparently a response to a recent call by Japan that the shipment of the promised energy aid should not take place before the communist nation first suspends its operations at Yongbyon.

Yasuhisa Shiozaki, Japan's chief Cabinet secretary, said in a regular press conference Wednesday that the two should "take place simultaneously...not one before the other."

The spokesman for the North Korean Foreign Ministry said there are forces displeased with the smooth implementation of the nuclear disarmament pact "still at work," adding such elements are now spreading misinformation about his country.

"The agreement should be honored not only by the DPRK, but by all the countries participating in the six-party talks on the principle 'action for action,'" the spokesman was quoted as saying, referring to the February agreement in which North Korea promised to shut down and later disable the Yongbyon complex in exchange for a total of 1 million tons of heavy fuel oil and other political benefits.

A group of nuclear monitors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is expected to travel to the North next week to verify the shutdown of Yongbyon and seal the complex.

The North Korean diplomat, however, noted the nuclear activities at Yongbyon could restart at any time should the other countries involved in the six-party talks fail to keep their end of the February agreement.

"The DPRK may not trust them if steps are not taken to make political and economic compensation as promised...in that case, the resumption of its nuclear activity will assume legitimate nature," the North Korean said.

SEOUL, July 6 (Yonhap News)