What are the Six-Party Talks?

The six-party talks are currently the primary negotiating framework to resolve the issue of the North Korean nuclear program. The six participants are South and North Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia. The talks began in August 2003 as a result of North Korea's decision to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). So far, six rounds of talks have taken place: round one in 2003, rounds two and three in 2004, round four in 2005, round five in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and round six in 2007. The talks are currently suspended due to North Korea's refusal to participate.