Sanctions against the DPRK for its underground nuclear test last month is not a substitute for an effective new approach toward Pyongyang, Rep. Tom Lantos of California told a hearing.

"The White House must try a new and bold approach towards the vexing North Korean crisis," Lantos said.

U.S. envoy Chris Hill must be dispatched to the next round of six-party talks "with the authority to negotiate a comprehensive and verifiable deal" and should stop over in Pyongyang "to demonstrate our peaceful interests," he said.

Lantos is expected to be a leader of the U.S. House of Representatives International Relations Committee when Democrats take over Congress in January.

The DPRK which had been refusing since last year to return to the six-party talks because of U.S. sanctions on the country, has agreed recently to return to disarmament talks, which also include the United States, the Republic of Korea, China, Japan and Russia.

By far, no date has been fixed for the talks although the Bush administration hopes the stalled talks will be resumed by the end of the year.