Beijing details N. Korean leader's China visit in FM talks with Seoul: official

BEIJING, Nov. 14 (Yonhap) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi elaborated on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's recent visit to China during talks with his South Korean counterpart, a senior South Korean official said Saturday.

The Chinese side explained Kim's trip to the Chinese border city of Dandong on Oct. 24 during Wang's talks with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun in Beijing on Friday, according to the foreign ministry official.

"(The Chinese side) said that at a basic level, China's relations with North Korea are focused on economic cooperation rather than on political affairs," the official told reporters. "(We) were able to hear relatively detailed accounts."

The official added the talks also touched on Wang's meeting with Kim Song-nam, a senior North Korean ruling party official, who visited Beijing last week.

The official said the Chinese side also discussed the possibility of a U.S.-North Korea summit amid speculation over the possibility of renewed diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang.

"My impression (after the talks) was that while there is a possibility, it is not that big," the official said, noting that it would likely depend on the U.S. situation and U.S. President Donald Trump's willingness.

During Friday's talks, Cho called on China to play a constructive role in resolving Korean Peninsula issues, including efforts to bring North Korea back to dialogue, according to Seoul's foreign ministry.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)