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US envoy heading to Asia for talks on North Korea

By DPA

Washington : The US envoy for ending North Korea's nuclear activities will travel to China, South Korea and Japan this week for talks on the possible resumption of six-nation negotiations over the issue.

US assistant secretary of state Christopher Hill is due to arrive in Tokyo Friday before heading to Seoul Sunday and arriving in Beijing two days later, US state department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

Hill is prepared to join the six-nation talks if North Korea moves forward on a February agreement to close its Yongbyon nuclear facility. North Korea missed an April deadline to shut the reactor and reprocessing plant because of a dispute over $25 million in a Macau bank account subjected to US sanctions.

North Korea pledged to follow through on its commitment after the dispute over the money was resolved last month, and once it receives fuel oil supplies due to arrive this weekend.

The six nations involved in the talks are the US, China, Japan, Russia and the two Koreas.