President Park Geun-hye met with China's top legislator, Zhang Dejiang, on Thursday over ways to enhance bilateral ties and denuclearize North Korea, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said.No details of their conversation were immediately available.Presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook said before the meeting that Park was expected to discuss with Zhang on how to deepen relations between the two neighbors as well as how to deal with North Korea's nuclear program.The meeting came as North Korea is apparently making progress in its nuclear and missile programs.South Korea and the United States have asked China to pressure North Korea to give up its nuclear program. The North has vowed to develop its economy and nuclear arsenal in tandem.China is believed to have significant leverage over North Korea, which has long been dependent on Chinese diplomatic support and economic aid.Some, however, question China's influence on North Korea.Zhang, who ranks third in China's ruling Communist Party hierarchy, also met with National Assembly speaker Chung Eui-hwa and Kim Moo-sung, head of the ruling Saenuri Party.Zhang told Chung through an interpreter that he believes South Korea can contain the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. He also said he came to Seoul despite worries about thevirus, noting that he contained a similar respiratory virus that hit China more than a decade ago.Zhang was the head of the southern province of Guangdong in 2002 when the first cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) hit the province before spreading to other areas.His comments came as South Korea reported another death from MERS, bringing the total number of fatalities to 10 since May 20, when the country's first outbreak of the virus was confirmed.Chung expressed gratitude to Zhang for visiting South Korea first, instead of Pyongyang, a traditional ally of Beijing. In a separate meeting with Kim, Zhang called for joint efforts by Seoul and Beijing to quickly ratify their free trade agreement. The deal is subject to parliamentary ratification in both capitals before taking effect.China is South Korea's largest trade partner. Trade volume between South Korea and China stood at $228.9 billion in 2013.China fought on North Korea's side against South Korea and the U.S.-led U.N. forces in the 1950-53 Korean War, but has been economically drawn to South Korea in recent decades. (Yonhap)
