US envoy ends rare trip to North Korea - report

SEOUL, June 22 (Reuters) US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill departed North Korea today, ending a rare trip to the reclusive state for negotiations on ending its nuclear arms programme, Yonhap news agency reported.

Hill, the highest-ranking State Department official to visit Pyongyang since 2002, was expected to have met the North's top nuclear envoy and discussed shutting down its reactor and source of weapons-grade plutonium.

Yonhap cited a diplomatic source as saying Hill, who arrived in the North on Thursday, left Pyongayng today morning. He is scheduled to head to South Korea and then Japan, where he will brief officials on his visit.

Reuters PDS GC0812