Chinese vice FM to visit south Korea after trip to DPRK

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin will visit South Korea on Thursday to brief on his visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Seoul's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. During his three-day visit, Liu will hold talks with South Korean deputy Foreign Minister Lee Kyung-soo, and meet ministers of foreign affairs and unification as well as senior foreign affairs and security advisor to President Park Geun-hye, the ministry said in a press release. Liu's visit to Seoul follows his four-day visit to Pyongyang, where the senior Chinese diplomat held consultation with DPRK officials on China-DPRK relations and the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Liu will brief South Korean officials on his trip to the DPRK, exchange views on situation of the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia. The ministry said that Liu's immediate explanation to Seoul about his visit to Pyongyang stemmed mainly from firmer South Korea-China strategic partnership and deeper communications agreed between the two presidents during Park's visit to Beijing last June.