S. Korea's top nuclear envoy visits Beijing for talks on NK

Published : Sept 13, 2019 - 12:11 Updated : Jun 2, 2020 - 14:14

South Korea's chief nuclear envoy has held talks with a senior Chinese diplomat over North Korea and peninsula issues ahead of an expected resumption of nuclear dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday.

Lee Do-hoon, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, met Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui in Beijing on Thursday and discussed the overall situation on the Korean Peninsula, the ministry said in a release.

The two sides took note of how North Korea recently made public its intent to resume working-level talks with the United States and shared their evaluations on this development, it added.

South Korea`s chief nuclear envoy Lee Do-hoon. Yonhap

They also shared the view that resumption of the nuclear negotiations is essential in making progress toward complete denuclearization and permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula, and they agreed to work toward achieving these goals.

Luo, who was elevated to his post handling Asia affairs in May, is expected to double as Beijing's chief envoy on the North Korean nuclear issue. He accompanied Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi when he paid a visit to Pyongyang early this month.

Lee's trip came after North Korea expressed a willingness to hold the first nuclear negotiations with the US later this month since February's summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un broke down without a deal.

Lee also plans to visit Washington next week for talks with US nuclear envoy Stephen Biegun. (Yonhap)