News may bode ill for future of talks to end North Korean nuclear program . The U.S. and South Korea have been trying to negotiate a deal with Pyongyang since the early 1990s but progress has stalled in recent years amid concerns about Pyongyang's weapons programs. Watch a report on North Korea 's nuclear negotiations » . One possible reason for tough stance could be declining health of leader Kim Jung Il . Military hard-liners seek normalization of relations with Washington before more talks .
News may bode ill for future of talks to end North Korean nuclear program . The U.S. and South Korea have been trying to negotiate a deal with Pyongyang since the early 1990s but progress has stalled in recent years amid concerns about Pyongyang's weapons programs. One possible reason for tough stance could be declining health of leader Kim Jung Il . Military hard-liners seek normalization of relations with Washington before more talks .