The chief US envoy to the six-party talks on ending North Korea's nuclear weapons program arrived in South Korea on Tuesday to join an annual defense conference, primarily focusing on the allies' joint response to growing security threats from the communist country, Yonhap news agency reported.

Ambassador Sung Kim, special representative for North Korea policy, is scheduled to take part in the two-day Korea-US Integrated Defense Dialogue starting Wednesday and hold a series of meetings with South Korean government officials.

His visit comes amid North Korea's vows to launch a satellite, which are seen as a cover for a long-range ballistic missile test, and threat to conduct another nuclear test.

Source: MENA