BEIJING - South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon arrived in Beijing on Friday for talks with Chinese leaders on how to implement sanctions against North Korea agreed to in response to its October 9 nuclear test.

South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon waves upon arrival at Beijing Capital Airport June 26, 2006. Ban arrived in China on Monday for talks with Chinese officials on the missile crisis of North Korea. [Reuters]

Ban, who takes over as United Nations secretary-general in January, was to meet his counterpart, Li Zhaoxing, State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan and President Hu Jintao. He was also to discuss U.N. affairs during his one-day visit.

"Since the Security Council has already adopted the resolution (on sanctions), how to implement the Security Council resolution will also be a topic," Wang Guangya, China's ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters at the airport after greeting Ban.

"But for China, we will strictly implement the Security Council resolution," he said.

China and South Korea, both supported weapons and financial sanctions passed against Pyongyang, but questions remain as to how they will be implemented in the face of threats from North Korea and fears of instability.

North Korea warned of the risk of war earlier this week if South Korea joined the sanctions, but on Thursday Seoul went ahead with a ban on the entry of North Koreans involved in Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programmes.

But it has yet to say whether it will suspend projects it operates in the North that provide a connection to the outside world -- and hard currency -- for Pyongyang.

Tang, who visited Pyongyang last week, returned with a warning that goading from the international community could push North Korea to defy warnings and carry out a second nuclear test.