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By Martin Nesirky

SEOUL, Sept 25 (Reuters) - North Korea, long branded a "rogue state" by Washington, has embarked on an unusual diplomatic balancing act to show it opposes terrorism and had nothing to do with the September 11 air attacks on the United States.

The official KCNA news agency, in an overnight report referring to U.S. efforts to put together a retaliatory coalition, said countries may be right to contribute to efforts to thwart international terrorism.

KCNA's report reiterated North Korea considered the attacks in New York and Washington "very regretful and tragic".

"It may be a right option taken in line with the policy of each country opposed to all forms of terrorism to make a due contribution to the efforts of the international community to eliminate the root cause of this terrorism," the agency said.

This was North Korea's first public reference to the force Washington is trying to assemble.

KCNA's comments appeared carefully timed.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi arrived in Washington on Monday and pledged Japan would do all it could to help the United States.

The agency criticised Japan for seeking to change the status of its defence forces, limited by a pacifist constitution, to allow them to help the United States.

"The neighbouring countries of Japan are becoming extremely watchful against its hectic moves," the agency added, saying Tokyo's real aim was to become a military power again.

PYONGYANG MINDFUL OF BUSH'S COMMENTS

Pyongyang did not make clear whether it would support a U.S.-led anti-terrorism force. But it would seem unlikely, as Washington considers North Korea a "rogue state" that has sponsored terrorism.

Western diplomats in Seoul said North Korea was mindful of President George W. Bush's weekend comments about how the United States was viewing the world.

"Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists," the U.S. president said in a speech to Congress.

Washington considers Saudi-born exile Osama bin Laden the prime suspect in the attacks, and there has been no suggestion North Korea was involved.

North Korea's foreign ministry was uncommonly swift to comment on the air attacks, issuing a statement the day after.

A South Korean newspaper reported on Monday Pyongyang's private comments to Washington the day after the attacks were even more forceful in condemning them than its public statement.

"They have a little bit of a PR problem," said one Western diplomat, explaining North Korea's diplomatic moves.

North Korea is the chief suspect in a 1983 blast in Myanmar that killed 18 South Korean officials and the 1987 mid-air bombing of a Korean Air jet that killed 115 people.

At North-South Korea talks earlier this month, Seoul failed to persuade the North to issue a joint anti-terrorism statement, but South Korean officials said Pyongyang's own comments had done enough to show it was not out on a limb.

South Korean officials noted last week North Korea's huge military forces had taken no visible action to bolster defences after the air attacks in the United States.

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