North Korean soldiers guard the bank of Yalu River near the North Korean town of Sinuiju, opposite the Chinese border city of Dandong, December 11, 2009. North Korea indicated on Friday it was ready to end its year-long boycott of nuclear negotiations, following talks in the reclusive state this week with a U.S. envoy to try to revive a disarmament-for-aid deal. REUTERS/Jacky Chen (NORTH KOREA POLITICS MILITARY)