Kim Kye Gwan, chief negotiator of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for the six-party talks, arrived in Beijing Monday morning for discussions with Chinese officials.

He made no comment when he arrived at the Capital International Airport.

Chun Yung Woo, chief negotiator of the Republic of Korea (ROK) to the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula, also arrived in Beijing Monday afternoon.

Chun said upon arrival that he would meet with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, also chief negotiator to the talks, on Tuesday morning. The main aim of his Beijing visit was to discuss with Wu the resumption of the nuclear talks and how to achieve substantial progress.

The talks would certainly progress in the future, he said.

Chun said he could also meet with his DPRK counterpart Kim in Beijing before his scheduled departure on Tuesday afternoon.

Before arriving in Beijing, Kim visited Russia for discussions with Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov, who took over as Russia's head negotiator in the six-party talks from Alexander Alexeyev, on the prospects for the resumption of the talks.

Both sides agreed to resume the talks as soon as possible, according to the Itar-Tass. Kim also briefed the Russian side on US-DPRK Berlin meeting held last week.

Earlier today, US chief negotiator Christopher Hill left Beijing for Washington, wrapping up his three-nation Asia tour. He briefed the ROK, Japan and China on the Berlin meeting.

South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported that the DRPK and the United States came close to an agreement that the DPRK freeze its nuclear activity and allow international monitoring in exchange for aid.

Hill said the six-party talks as well as the US-DPRK talks on the financial sanctions issue would reopen very soon, but a fixed date of the resumption of the nuke talks still needed China's consultation with the other five nations.

The six-party talks, involving China, the DPRK, the United States, the ROK, Japan and Russia, restarted in December 2006 after a 13-month suspension. After five days of negotiations, the six parties issued a chairman's statement and recess the talks.

The statement said the six parties agreed to recess to report to capitals and to reconvene at the earliest opportunity. They also agreed to implement the joint statement of September 19, 2005, as soon as possible "in a phased manner".

Source: Xinhua