Yu Myung-Hwan was flying to Beijing for talks on North Korea's "nuclear and missile issues" with officials including Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, he said.

"Together with the Chinese, we will have a brain-storming session on the North's nuclear and missile issues," Yu told journalists before his departure.

"We also need to discuss ways to bring forward the six-party talks," he said.

The visit gained urgency after North Korea said it was preparing to put a satellite into orbit. The country has previously disguised a missile test as a space launch.

Seoul believes the North is currently preparing to test its longest-range missile, the Taepodong-2, which is theoretically capable of reaching Alaska.

Yu, who will be accompanied by top nuclear negotiator Kim Sook in the two-day trip, is scheduled to meet China's Yang later on Tuesday, the foreign ministry said.

Yu's visit follows US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's Asian tour last week, when she urged North Korea to live up to previous commitments and dismantle its nuclear weapons programme.

She also warned North Korea to stop provocative actions, saying any ballistic missile launch would be in breach of UN resolutions.

North Korea conducted its first nuclear weapons test in October 2006. It later agreed to disable its atomic programme in return for energy aid and diplomatic concessions.

However six-nation talks, which group the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States, have been stalled for months amid arguments over how to verify the denuclearisation process.

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