Top ROK diplomat pays visit to Beijing

By Li Xiaokun (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-02-25 07:45

Seoul's top diplomat arrived in Beijing Tuesday to consult with Chinese leaders on the Korean Peninsula situation.

Immediately after arriving in the Chinese capital Tuesday afternoon, Republic of Korea (ROK) Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan had separate meetings with Premier Wen Jiabao and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

During their 75-minute meeting, the two foreign ministers discussed the peninsula's denuclearization, the Six-Party Talks and other issues of common concern, the Foreign Ministry said.

Seoul's chief negotiator to the Six-Party Talks Kim Sook attended Tuesday's meetings.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) had said it would launch a satellite scheduled Tuesday. But there was no news about the launch by press time.

South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan (3rd L) arrives at Beijing airport February 24, 2009. [Agencies]

"The preparations for launching experimental communications satellite Kwangmyongsong-2 by means of delivery rocket Unha-2 are now making brisk headway" at a launch site in Hwadae in the northeast, Pyongyang's space agency said yesterday in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency. It did not clarify when the launch would take place.

The ROK, Japan and the US have condemned the launch, saying Pyongyang may instead launch a long-range missile.

The Chinese government yesterday said it had taken note of the situation. "Safeguarding peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula is in the interest of all parties," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said at a regular press briefing.