BEIJING, March 29 (UPI) -- South Korea and China Monday agreed to hold the next round of six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear problem at the earliest possible time.
South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon, now visiting China, and his Chinese counterpart, Li Zhaoxing, agreed to step up efforts for a peaceful resolution of the problem, the Korea Times reported.
There is no change in North Korea's position that the nuclear issue should be resolved peacefully through the six-party talks,' Li was quoted as telling Ban.
Li briefed Ban about his visit last week to Pyongyang, during which North Korean leader Kim Jong-il agreed to hold the third round of six-party talks in Beijing by June, as was agreed upon during the second round talks in February.
North Korea, however, is sticking to its previous stance that the United States should change its hostile policy toward it and that agenda for the six-party talks should be focused on U.S. compensation in return for a nuclear freeze.
