Seoul  - In a departure from the stand taken by the United States, China has advocated continued deliveries of energy aid to North Korea despite Pyongyang's refusal to allow nuclear inspections, South Korean media reported Wednesday.

Disarmament talks in Beijing ended in deadlock last week over the issue of North Korea's rejection of a compromise on procedures to verify its disablement of its main nuclear facility.

US officials have said that five nations engaged in talks with North Korea that are aimed at dismantling its nuclear programmes - the United States, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia - agreed to delay delivery of energy aid to the communist state after the negotiations broke down.

But South Korean media reported Wednesday that China has denied having agreed to the delay.

"The delivery of energy aid for North Korea was promised in return for the disabling of North Korea's nuclear programme by Pyongyang," Seoul-based SBS TV quoted a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying.

In a deal signed last year with the five nations, North Korea agreed to disable its Yongbyon nuclear facility, 100 kilometres north of Seoul, in return for the energy aid. It is in the process of disabling the facility.

China has taken the stance that energy aid is one thing and verification of nuclear activities is another matter, SBS said.

The Russian government also said last week that it had not agreed to suspend the heavy fuel oil shipments.

About 395,000 tons of heavy oil, valued at 155 million dollars, remain undelivered to North Korea out of a total of 1 million tons promised to the communist state by the other nations taking part in the talks.

South Korean experts estimated that this undelivered oil could generate up to 2.2 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, representing more than 10 per cent of the North Korea's total power-generation capacity.

A diplomatic source in Seoul said the undelivered oil was placing serious pressure on North Korea as it was drastically short of energy supplies. (dpa)