In this task, a passage will be given and the goal is to identify an event from the passage. An event is defined as a single word representing something that happened, is happening, or may happen. An event can be factual or hypothetical, positive or negative, certain or uncertain. While most events are based on verbs, an event can also be based on a noun (ex. storm, snow, rainfall) or a copula verb (is, was, been, etc.). The event must not be a pronoun or an adjective. For noun events with multiple words, use the last word in the phrase as event.
Example: Passage: I submitted the hit. The hit was approved, and then I was paid.
Example solution: approved
Example explanation: There are three events in this passage (i) submission event ("submitted") (ii) the approval event ("approved"), and (iii) the payment event ("paid"). You can use any one of them as an output.

Problem: Passage: In New York, a North Korean official said Wednesday that China should join the talks only after Washington recognizes the North. South Korea's Yonhap News Agency quoted Han Sung-Ryol, head of the North Korean UN mission, as repeating Kim's insistence that such steps were needed to put the North on an "equal footing" before the four- party talks take place.

Solution: said