Kim Kye-Gwan, a vice foreign minister leading the North Korean team, was expected on the twice-weekly flight from Pyongyang to Beijing Tuesday, but neither he nor his delegation was on board.

The Xinhua news agency reported that he was already in Beijing, apparently travelling either by train from North Korea or via Shenyang in Liaoning province where a chartered flight touched down Monday.

Delegates from the United States, South Korea, Japan and Russia are expected to arrive later Tuesday.

WAR.WIRE