The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the Republicans suffered a "crushing defeat" in the elections, in which Democrats won control of both chambers of the US Congress and triumphed in races for state governorships.

"The mid-term elections, which were hotly contested by the Republicans and Democrats, ended in a crushing defeat for the Republicans," KCNA said.

"Consequently, the Republicans' control of both chambers of the Congress was brought to an end for the first time in 12 years," it said.

It quoted the Washington Post, USA Today and Japan's NHK TV as saying that US voters registered their displeasure at the war against Iraq, US economic woes and corruption scandals.

Pyongyang's Chungang TV on Friday gave its first report on the US vote results. But no editorials or analysis on the election results were given by North Korean news media.

Yonhap news agency in Seoul said the unusual swiftness with which Pyongyang broke the news reflected the country's interest in US politics.

Pyongyang's propaganda mills did not cover the 2002 mid-term elections for eight days until they said British dailies had expressed concern over the Bush administration's power following the Republicans' winning control of both chambers.

Chosun Sinbo, a pro-North Korea newspaper published in Japan, on Friday welcomed the Republican defeat, praising US voters for rebuking the "madness and despotism" of the Bush administration.

North Korea agreed at six-party talks in September 2005 to scrap its nuclear programmes in exchange for energy and other economic aid and security guarantees.

But it boycotted the forum two months later in protest at US action to freeze its accounts in Macau's Banco Delta Asia in connection with alleged money laundering and counterfeiting.

Last week, just three weeks after its nuclear test, the North agreed to return to the forum on condition the financial curbs were discussed and settled within the framework of the talks.

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