US special envoy to visit Japan, China over DPRK policy

WASHINGTON -- The United States is sending its special envoy to Japan and China next week for meetings on policy toward the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the State Department said Thursday.

During his trip to the two Asian countries on Jan. 26-30, Sung Kim will have a trilateral meeting in Tokyo with his Japanese counterpart Junichi Ihara and the Republic of Korea counterpart Hwang Joon-kook on top of bilateral meetings with them, the agency said in a statement.

While in Beijing, Kim is scheduled to meet with senior Chinese government officials, including special representative for Korean Peninsula affairs Wu Dawei, the department said.

It also said Sydney Seiler, US special envoy for the six- party talks, and Allison Hooker, director for Korea at the National Security Council, will be accompanying Kim on his trip.

The State Department on Wednesday rejected a latest DPRK proposal for an unconditional resumption of the six-party talks that also involve Russia, reiterating a call for Pyongyang to abide by its past commitments.

Ri Yong Ho, the DPRK's six-party talks representative, met with Kim's predecessor Stephen Bosworth in Singapore early this week for two-day unofficial talks.