The idea was to be discussed at six-party talks on disarming North Korea, which are expected to take place in mid-November, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yu Myung-Hwan said.

Yu is the first official to confirm that countries outside the six-party group have been invited to pitch in energy aid instead of Japan as a reward to the communist state for disabling its plutonium-producing nuclear plants.

Japan, which reportedly promised to provide 200,000 tons of heavy oil or its equivalent in aid, has refused to chip in until North Korea does more to account for Japanese it kidnapped in the 1970s and 1980s to train its spies.

"Once agreed, the relevant parties would share energy assistance (originally borne by Japan) valued at some 100 million dollars," Yu was quoted as telling the Korea Times.

"We don't know yet how much and in what way each party will contribute."

"The issue will be discussed at the six-party talks" involving the two Koreas, host China, the United States, Russia and Japan, Yu told the daily.

Under a February 2007 deal, North Korea was to receive one million tons of fuel oil or equivalent energy aid from the other five countries in return for disabling its plutonium-producing plants.

The five have since then shipped about half of the energy aid to the North and Washington last month removed Pyongyang from its list of nations sponsoring terrorism.

North Korea last month renewed its demands that Japan be booted from the six-nation talks, accusing it of obstructing negotiations and dodging the fulfillment of its commitment for energy aid.

"There is still the possibility that Japan will change its position and provide energy aid as the United States has urged North Korea to resolve the abduction issue," Yu said.

"While sympathizing with Japan's position related to the issue of abductees, I hope that an environment for Japan's participation could be made possible at an early date," he added.

Yu stressed the second-phase of the denuclearisation process focused on disabling the North's nuclear facilities in Yongbyon should be completed by the end of the year.

"We're not just in a wait-and-see position but making active efforts to have the second-phase process be completed by the end of the year," Yu said.

The aim was "that the six-party framework will be able to maintain momentum under the new US government, which will inevitably review the North Korea nuclear issue," after the US presidential election on Tuesday.

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