Seoul, South Korea ? On the eve of crucial Cabinet-level meetings between the two countries, South Korea said Saturday it would demand that North Korea abolish its nuclear weapons programs, while the communist state vowed to stand up to “U.S. imperialists.”

A five-member South Korean delegation left today for Pyongyang, North Korea, for three days of talks.

The meetings come just days after a senior U.S. official said North Korea claimed in talks last week in Beijing to have atomic weapons that it might test, sell or use, depending on U.S. actions.

South Korea “will strongly urge North Korea for the abolishment of its nuclear development and change of attitude at the Cabinet-level talks,” the South’s National Security Council said in a statement.

Officials had said they feared North Korea would cancel the meetings. The two Koreas scheduled Cabinet-level talks earlier this month but did not meet after North Korea failed to confirm its participation.

Officials said an agenda for would be decided today during the first round of meetings.

The North’s KCNA news agency on Saturday said, “the Korean people are standing up to the U.S. imperialists (who are) pursuing a hostile policy toward the DPRK and preparing another war of aggression under the pretext of the ‘nuclear issue.”‘ DPRK stands for Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the North’s official name.

KCNA also reported that a North Korean foreign ministry delegation left for Britain on Saturday, but it did not say why.