The six parties attending the second working group meeting for the third round of six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue agreed to hold discussions on freezing the nuclear programs as the first step, an official with the Republic of Korea (ROK) delegation said in Beijing on June 22.

The official said that all the five parties spoke highly of China's role at the end of the two-day second working group meeting Tuesday morning, which was held in a sincere atmosphere.

ROK delegation head Lee Soo-Hyuck is scheduled to hold bilateral consultations separately with Chinese delegation head Wang Yi Tuesday afternoon and with Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) delegation head Kim Kye-gwan Wednesday morning, the official revealed.

Heads of the delegations of the DPRK, Russia, the ROK and the United States have arrived in Beijing for the six-party talks, and the Japanese delegation head is expected to arrive later Tuesday.

The third round of six-party talks, involving China, the DPRK, the United States, the ROK, Russia and Japan, will be held from Wednesday to Saturday.

Source: Xinhua