North Korea negotiator Kim Myong Gil en route to Sweden

Oct. 3 (UPI) -- North Korea's chief U.S. negotiator Kim Myong Gil was seen at Beijing's Capital Airport en route to Sweden on Thursday.

Kim, who praised U.S. President Donald Trump following the ouster of national security adviser John Bolton, was seen disembarking from a North Korean Air Koryo flight from Pyongyang at noon, Yonhap reported.

North Korea has not confirmed the location of the U.S.-North Korea working-level talks, where Kim is expected to meet with U.S. special envoy on North Korea Stephen Biegun.

As Kim moved between terminals at the Chinese airport, he told South Korean reporters that he was on his way to the talks.

The North Korean diplomat also said Pyongyang has renewed expectations following a "new signal" from the United States, according to the report.

"Since there was a new signal from the U.S. side, with great expectations and optimism...we are optimistic about the results," Kim reportedly said as he made his way to his next flight.

Kim was not traveling alone on Thursday. The North Korean delegation included Kwon Jong Gun, Jong Nam Hyok, and North Korean U.S. researcher Kim Kwang Hak. They boarded a flight to Stockholm, according to Yonhap.

The U.S. State Department confirmed Tuesday the two sides plan to "meet within the next week."

The State Department has also said it is critical South Korea and Japan remain coordinated on North Korea.

Seoul and Tokyo are quarreling over trade restrictions and more recently over a South Korean decision to not extend a bilateral military intelligence-sharing agreement beyond November.

The Yomiuri Shimbun reported Thursday Seoul recently requested intelligence sharing following North Korea's launch of a submarine-launched ballistic missile on Wednesday.

Tokyo agreed to share the information as GSOMIA remains valid.

Japan relied on U.S. data collected at U.S. military bases in the region for intelligence this week, according to the Yomiuri.