Two North Korean officials have travelled to China for talks on resuming stalled six-party talks to end Pyongyang's nuclear programme, South Korean media have reported.
First Vice Foreign Minister Kang Sok-ju and Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan, both involved in the six-party talks, arrived in Beijing on Saturday, according to newspaper reports.
Mr Kang is believed to be a key architect of North Korea's nuclear diplomacy and a close confidant of leader Kim Jong-il.
Three rounds of the talks produced little progress and Pyongyang has refused to meet for a fourth round.
North Korea has said the United States must first drop what Pyongyang calls a hostile policy against it and agree to turn the talks into comprehensive disarmament negotiations that also address US nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula.
The official US policy is it does not have nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula.
China, which is the North's largest benefactor, is pressing for the resumption of the talks.
