Senior South Korean and Chinese officials held talks Tuesday to discuss the aftermath of the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il and ways to revive stalled talks on the North’s nuclear disarmament. China is the sole major ally and economic prop of the impoverished but nuclear-armed North, and is seen as one of the few countries that can influence its behaviour. South Korean vice foreign minister Park Suk-Hwan called the previously scheduled talks timely “when security conditions on the Korean peninsula have been in focus since the passing of Kim Jong-Il”. Maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula is in the interests of both South Korea and China, Park said in opening remarks before the talks in Seoul with his counterpart Zhang Zhijun. World powers are watching the North after longtime leader Kim died on December 17 and his son Kim Jong-Un was proclaimed “great successor”. Beijing swiftly gave its backing to Jong-Un and pledged to work with the North to ensure peace and stability. Zhang called for closer communication with Seoul to address the “dynamics of the Asia-Pacific region” that were becoming “complicated and serious”. The two also agreed that the six-party nuclear disarmament talks should resume quickly and vowed to work together to maintain peace and stability, Seoul’s foreign ministry spokesman said. Cho also said Seoul’s top nuclear envoy Lim Sung-Nam will visit Washington this week to discuss ways to resume the six-party forum, after his own meeting with Beijing officials last week.
