Seoul urges China's envoy to increase pressure on N.Korea on n-programme

Seoul, Nov 16 : The South Korean government on Thursday called for the Chinese envoy scheduled to visit North Korea to increase pressure on Pyongyang over its nuclear and missile development programme.

Song Tao, the head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China, is set to visit North Korea on Friday to discuss an outcome of the Communist Party of China's 19th Congress that saw President Xi Jinping's term as the party's Secretary General renewed.

"We hope that the visit will serve as an occasion to deliver the international community's concerns about North Korea's nuclear threats and North Korea could respond to it," Yonhap news agency quoted a spokesperson of Seoul's Unification Ministry said during a press briefing, Efe news reported.

China's Foreign Ministry said the two sides are expected to discuss matters of mutual interest during the visit.

Song's visit comes amid a period of brief hiatus of Pyongyang's arms tests during the past two months following a series of tests earlier this year.

It also comes just after the 12-day Asia tour of US President Donald Trump, who called for greater pressure on Pyongyang during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing.