China to send nuclear talks envoy to Seoul

Beijing, Sep 28: China's representative on six-party talks aimed at resolving a stand-off over North Korea's nuclear programme will go to Seoul this week, the Chinese foreign ministry said today.

Vice foreign minister Wu Dawei will be in South Korea from tomorrow until Sunday, spokesman Qin Gang said. ''He will exchange views with the South Korean side on promoting the resumption of the six-party talks and other issues of mutual concern,'' Qin told a regular news briefing, without elaborating.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry confirmed the visit and added Wu would also discuss a planned summit meeting between the leaders of the two countries in October.

The ministry also said Wu would meet South Korea's foreign minister and chief envoy to the six-party talks.

For nearly a year, the North has boycotted six-country talks with the United States, South Korea, Japan, Russia and China aimed at persuading Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons programme.

The United States, which first imposed sanctions on the North decades ago, recently began cracking down on banks suspected of facilitating Pyongyang's counterfeiting and money-laundering activities. The North refuses to return to negotiations until these financial curbs are lifted.

In July, the North tested seven missiles, and the communist state has reportedly been preparing its first underground nuclear test.

Yesterday, chief US negotiator Chris Hill said that efforts to revive negotiations with North Korea are in a ''crucial phase'' and that the United States hoped Pyongyang would respond within the next six weeks.

Reuters