Yu Myung-Hwan would meet his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi during the mid-week visit, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters.

"I think the six-party talks, the denuclearisation process of the Korean peninsula and resumption of six-party talks will be put on the table," Qin said.

"We would like to make joint efforts with South Korea on this issue, especially now that we have a good opportunity to promote the early resumption of the six-party talks."

China is the host of the on-off negotiations, which also include the two Koreas, Japan, Russia and the United States, and which have been on ice since Pyongyang stormed out in April last year.

Beijing is also North Korea's sole major ally.

The North has set two conditions for returning to dialogue: the lifting of UN sanctions and a US commitment to discuss a formal peace treaty to replace the armistice which ended the 1950-1953 Korean War.

Washington, Seoul and Tokyo say the North must first return to the negotiating table and show it is serious about giving up its nuclear drive.

Yu's visit is the latest in a flurry of meetings on the North Korean nuclear issue, with negotiators and diplomats from the countries involved criss-crossing Northeast Asia in recent weeks for consultations.

The South Korean minister also visited Washington late last month for talks with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

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