By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter

The top diplomats from South Korea and China met Thursday to discuss ways to resume the six-way talks on ending North Korea's nuclear ambitions, as well as promoting ties between the two nations.

The meeting was held in Beijing between Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yu Myung-hwan and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

Yu asked China to make efforts to bring the North to the negotiating table and called for concerted cooperation with other participating nations of the talks to resolve the nuclear problem.

North Korea pulled out of the talks last year to protest U.N. sanctions against the regime in the wake of its test-firing of a long-range missile. They involve the two Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia.

China, a close ally of the communist North, is the host nation for the multinational disarmament forum.

The two ministers also exchanged views on relations between the countries and global issues.

``South Korea will work closely with China in setting the agenda for the G-20 summit to be held in Seoul,'' Yu said, stressing both nations will further develop their ``strategic cooperative partnership.''

Yu met with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and police chief Meng Jianzhu following the meeting with Yang.

Yu arrived in Beijing Wednesday after a brief stop in Shanghai to check preparations for the World Expo 2010, set to begin May 1.

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr