S. Korea, China vice FMs to meet in Seoul

SEOUL, Feb. 15 (Yonhap) -- Vice foreign ministers of South Korea and China will meet in Seoul this week to discuss pending issues between the two countries, the South Korean foreign ministry said Monday.

Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam will meet his Chinese counterpart Zhang Yesui in the 7th Strategic Dialogue between vice foreign ministers of the two countries on Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The meeting comes amid a deepening chasm between the two neighbors over how to deal with North Korea's latest nuclear weapons and long-range missile tests.

"The two sides will hold in-depth talks on issues of mutual interest, including relations between South Korea and China, political situations on the Korean Peninsula and regional and international affairs," the ministry said.

They, in particular, will "intensively discuss responses to North Korea's nuclear test and long-range missile launch," it said.

Zhang will be the first high-level Chinese official to visit South Korea after the North's fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6. He is scheduled to fly into South Korea on Monday for the talks.

The two officials are expected to exchange opinions on the intensity and direction of future international sanctions, including a new U.N. Security Council resolution, against Pyongyang for its latest nuclear test and long-range rocket launch and seek to reach a consensus on the issue.

Beijing has shown a lukewarm stance on the South Korea and U.S. moves to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea, maintaining that the nuclear issue should be resolved through "dialogue and negotiations."

Seoul and Washington's recent decision to begin negotiations for the deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defense system is also expected to be a hot issue during the talks.

China has vehemently opposed any deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) on the Korean Peninsula, taking it as part of the U.S. Missile Defense system.
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