Defense minister's DPRK trip may aid nuke negotiations

China and the United States announced yesterday they will send senior officials to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) as nations try to get the DPRK back to negotiations over its nuclear programs.

Defense Minister Liang Guanglie will visit the DPRK, Japan and Thailand from Nov 22 to Dec 5, said Senior Colonel Huang Xueping, the ministry spokesman.

US special envoy Stephen Bosworth will visit the DPRK on Dec 8 to get Pyongyang to give up its nuclear programs, US President Barack Obama said yesterday at a joint news conference in Seoul with Repubilc of Korea (ROK) President Lee Myung-bak.