"We know that some of the enrichment equipment according to (Pakistani scientist and black market leader) Mr. A.Q. Khan was also transferred to North Korea," International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief ElBaradei said in Washington, where he is to meet with US President George W. Bush on Wednesday.

"Unfortunately, we are not in North Korea today to verify that," ElBaradei told reporters after meeting non-proliferation advocate Senator Richard Lugar.

North Korea withdrew from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in January 2003 and kicked out IAEA inspectors who were verifying compliance with the NPT.

"I would like to see the agency going back to North Korea as early as possible and to make sure that North Korea again has a program that is absolutely dedicated for peaceful purposes," he said.

"If that were to happen under international verification, North Korea would be able to join the international community as a full-fledged member and I hope that will happen soon," ElBaradei said.

The New York Times reported Saturday on its website that the clandestine network run by Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan may have supplied North Korea with the same nuclear technology it gave to Libya.

Citing a classified US intelligence report presented to the White House last week, the newspaper said the assessment done by the Central Intelligence Agency confirms the Bush administration's fears about the accelerated nature of North Korea's secret uranium weapons program.

As a result, some intelligence officials believe North Korea could produce a weapon as early as next year, the report said.

The assessment is based in part on Pakistan's accounts of its interrogations of Khan, the man credited with developing Pakistan's nuclear bomb, who was pardoned by President Pervez Musharraf in January.

The report concluded that North Korea probably received a package very similar to those the Khan network sold to Libya for more than 60 million dollars, including nuclear fuel, centrifuges and one or more warhead designs, The Times reported.

CIA and White House officials declined to comment on the report.

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