SEOUL - Kim Jong-il, the leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), said Pyongyang remains committed to nuclear disarmament, Pyongyang's official media Korean Central News Agency reported on Saturday.

During a visit this week to Beijing, he also said ties with China will be unchanged by the "replacement of one generation by a new one," amid reports he is paving the way for his son to take control of the country.

The DPRK, which has tested two nuclear bombs, last year bolted from Six Party Talks but in remarks reported Saturday, Kim "expressed the DPRK's willingness to provide favorable conditions for the resumption of the six-party (disarmament) talks."