The United States has presented to North Korea a list of names of North Korean nuclear experts allegedly involved in offering nuclear technology to Syria, a Seoul newspaper reported Tuesday.

The list was presented when top U.S. nuclear envoy Christopher Hill had talks with his North Korean counterpart Kim Kye Gwan recently, the Chosun Ilbo reported, quoting a "highly placed source" concerned with diplomacy and security affairs.

An Israeli airstrike against Syria last September targeted a nuclear-related facility that was under construction with technical assistance from North Korea, according to Israel's prime minister.

Japanese government sources said over the weekend that the Israeli leader, Ehud Olmert, briefed Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda about the attack during summit talks in Tokyo on Feb. 27.

It is apparently the first time that the intended target had been disclosed to the head of a foreign government.

Previously, Jerusalem had only acknowledged it carried out the Sept. 6, 2007, attack, but stopped short of identifying the type of facility.

Tokyo has shown keen interest in the disclosure as it suggests Pyongyang was providing nuclear technology to Damascus in violation of an agreement made at six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue not to transfer nuclear materials, technology or know-how...