US envoy on North Korea in Beijing for talks

BEIJING - The US chief negotiator to talks on dismantling North Korea's nuclear programme has arrived in Beijing to meet his Chinese counterpart.

US envoy Christopher Hill was to hold talks with China's Wu Dawei before flying to Seoul later.

His trip is aimed at breathing life into the six-party talks that North Korea has refused to attend since an inconclusive session in November.

China, an old ally of the North and host to the talks that also group the two Koreas, Japan and Russia, has been seen as key to persuading Pyongyang back to the table.

But analysts said Mr Hill's visit was as much aimed at keeping China and South Korea engaged in the stalled process as to push for any leverage.

"He's going to urge China and South Korea to redouble their patience," said Jon Wolfsthal, a North Korea analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

"Where the administration sees the challenge is in South Korea and China peeling off from what needs to be a co-ordinated policy," he said.

China is to host North Korean Foreign Minister Paek Nam-sun next week, and South Korea's president has been quoted as saying he would be willing to meet the North's leader anytime for talks.

By contrast, Mr Hill had no substantive discussions with Pyongyang envoy Kim Kye-gwan when both were in Tokyo last month, something analysts said was hindering progress.

Washington has also been cracking down on financial institutions it suspects of assisting Pyongyang in money laundering and counterfeiting, actions whose long-term effectiveness Seoul has questioned.

The six countries agreed in principle at talks last September that North Korea would dismantle its nuclear programmes in exchange for aid, security assurances and diplomatic ties.

But the following session in November ended without progress and Pyongyang has refused to take part ever since, citing the financial crackdown.

- REUTERS