The Korea Herald

소아쌤

Seoul hopes Chinese envoy will raise NK nuke issue during Pyongyang visit

By Yonhap

Published : Nov. 16, 2017 - 11:54

    • Link copied

South Korea on Thursday expressed hope that China's special envoy to North Korea will relay international concerns about its nuclear programs during his upcoming visit.

Song Tao, the head of the international department at the Central Committee of the Communist Party, is set to visit Pyongyang Friday as President Xi Jinping's special envoy to report the outcome of the ruling party's recent congress.

"We hope that the visit will serve as an occasion to deliver the international community's  concerns about North Korea's nuclear threats and North Korea could respond to it," an official at Seoul's unification ministry said.

This computerized image shows Song Tao (L), Chinese President Xi Jinping`s special envoy, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. (Yonhap) This computerized image shows Song Tao (L), Chinese President Xi Jinping`s special envoy, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. (Yonhap)

Song's visit comes as North Korea has not engaged in provocative acts for about 60 days since its launch of a ballistic missile over Japan on Sept. 15.

It also comes on the heels of U.S. President Donald Trump's 12-day-long tour to Asia including stops in South Korea and China. He has called on China to do more to rein in the North.

China's foreign ministry said Wednesday that the two sides will exchange views about issues of mutual interest at the party and country level. (Yonhap)