South Korea's chief nuclear envoy will visit China this week for talks on North Korea, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said Thursday, amid growing concerns Pyongyang may conduct another nuclear test.
Kim Hong-kyun, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, will visit Beijing on Friday where he will meet with his Chinese counterpart, Wu Dawei, to discuss ways to deter additional North Korean provocations and faithfully implement U.N. Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang, ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck said in a regular press briefing.
Concerns have grown that North Korea will conduct its fifth nuclear test in the coming weeks, with satellite imagery showing increased activity at its main nuclear test site at Punggye-ri, in the northeastern part of the country.
The UNSC sanctions, which were adopted last month in response to the North's fourth nuclear test and long-range rocket launch earlier this year, are designed to starve the regime of the money it needs to develop its nuclear and missile programs.
China is North Korea's main ally and economic lifeline, meaning its cooperation will be crucial for the sanctions to have an effect.
Cho also noted that Wu will meet with his U.S. counterpart, Sung Kim, later in the day.
The back-to-back talks between the chief nuclear envoys of South Korea, China and the United States are expected to boost trilateral cooperation over the North Korean nuclear issue, he said. (Yonhap)
Kim Hong-kyun, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, will visit Beijing on Friday where he will meet with his Chinese counterpart, Wu Dawei, to discuss ways to deter additional North Korean provocations and faithfully implement U.N. Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang, ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck said in a regular press briefing.
Concerns have grown that North Korea will conduct its fifth nuclear test in the coming weeks, with satellite imagery showing increased activity at its main nuclear test site at Punggye-ri, in the northeastern part of the country.
The UNSC sanctions, which were adopted last month in response to the North's fourth nuclear test and long-range rocket launch earlier this year, are designed to starve the regime of the money it needs to develop its nuclear and missile programs.
China is North Korea's main ally and economic lifeline, meaning its cooperation will be crucial for the sanctions to have an effect.
Cho also noted that Wu will meet with his U.S. counterpart, Sung Kim, later in the day.
The back-to-back talks between the chief nuclear envoys of South Korea, China and the United States are expected to boost trilateral cooperation over the North Korean nuclear issue, he said. (Yonhap)
