U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill Friday in Seoul urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to take actions to resume the six-party talks as soon as possible.

Hill, who is also U.S. chief negotiator for the six-party talks, said, "The United States takes very seriously the six-way talks process and we are doing all we can to make sure that it is a successful process and that we are able to solve this through diplomatic means."

Hill, who arrived here for a two-day brief visit, made the remarks after a breakfast meeting with Chun Yung-woo, South Korea's chief negotiator for the six-party talks.

Hill said that the United States is "doing a lot of homework and really exploring every avenue. It would be nice to see that the DPRK is doing the same."

Hill stressed the importance for related countries to "stay very close together through this difficult period."

The six-party talks, composing China, the United States, the DPRK, South Korea, Russia and Japan, was suspended since last September. The United States began to conduct economic sanctions against the DPRK shortly after the latest session of the talks last September while the DPRK set the lift of the sanctions as precondition for the talks.

Hill refused to confirm reports that the United States would discuss on a peace agreement with DPRK, saying, "I haven't seen the proposal. I heard about it. I am going back to Washington today, and I will have an opportunity to look at it."

The New York Times reported last week, quoting unnamed U.S. officials as saying that Washington is moving to begin works to set up a peace mechanism on the Korean Peninsula.

Source: Xinhua