South Korea envoy to six-party talks arrives in Beijing

BEIJING, March 18 (UPI) -- South Korea's chief envoy for the six-party talks is in Beijing to meet with his Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei.

Kim Hong-kyun, a former Seoul deputy foreign minister, met with reporters at Beijing's Capital International Airport, where he said he plans to discuss the South's assessment of recent North Korea provocations with Wu, South Korean news network YTN reported Friday.

South Korea and China are trying to find ways to change North Korea policy, Kim said.

The South Korean official suggested it is "premature" at this point in time to consider resuming dialogue with the North, and that pressure on Pyongyang and sanctions should be the main focus.

South Korea, however, remains open to the resumption of five-party talks that don't include the North, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has signaled an "open" attitude toward such talks.

Kim, who was appointed to his position in late February, had recently returned from talks with the U.S. special representative for North Korea policy Sung Kim in Washington, D.C.

The United States and South Korea agreed last Friday that North Korea denuclearization is a key priority, Voice of America reported.

Both sides also agreed the pressure on Pyongyang should be maintained, and on Wednesday President Obama levied more sanctions against North Korea, including against the country's propaganda apparatus.

The Korean Workers' Party's Propaganda and Agitation Department operates under the Party's Central Committee Secretariat and is in charge of general propaganda, ideological education, publications control, and censorship at home and abroad.