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N Korea tops Seoul summit agenda N Korea tops Seoul summit agenda
(about 3 hours later)
Chinese President Hu Jintao has arrived in the South Korean capital, Seoul, for a two-day summit set to focus on the North Korean nuclear issue. The South Korean and Chinese presidents agreed to work together to advance stalled North Korean nuclear talks, as they began a two-day summit in Seoul.
Mr Hu received a formal welcome as he arrived fresh from the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games. Both countries would work to ensure multilateral talks aimed at disarming Pyongyang entered "a new phase", Chinese leader Hu Jintao said.
He and counterpart Lee Myung-bak will discuss ways to advance dialogue aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear programme, officials said. The leaders also agreed to expand trade ties and increase diplomatic dialogue.
They are also expected to sign a number of trade and energy deals. Mr Hu arrived in the South Korean capital a day after the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games.
The Chinese president will then head to Central Asia for a meeting of a regional security grouping. Late on Tuesday he heads to Central Asia for a meeting of a regional security grouping.
Talks stalledTalks stalled
The summit comes amid tension between the two Koreas. The summit in Seoul comes amid tension between the two Koreas.
Mr Lee has linked the flow of aid to progress on disarmament and human rights, angering Pyongyang. The July shooting death of a South Korean housewife by a North Korean soldier has further harmed ties. South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has linked the provision of aid to progress on disarmament, angering Pyongyang. In July a North Korean soldier shot dead a South Korean housewife, further straining ties.
International talks aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear programme are also currently stalled.International talks aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear programme are also currently stalled.
In June, North Korea handed over long-awaited details of its nuclear activities to the five countries involved in the aid-for-disarmament deal.In June, North Korea handed over long-awaited details of its nuclear activities to the five countries involved in the aid-for-disarmament deal.
But it has yet to agree on a mechanism for verifying this information with the US.But it has yet to agree on a mechanism for verifying this information with the US.
The two presidents are to hold in-depth consultations on advancing the nuclear talks, the South Korean presidential office said. "We agreed to make joint efforts to ensure the six-party talks process enters a new phase," Mr Hu told journalists after his talks with Mr Lee. The talks were at a "key stage", he said.
Other issues on the agenda included expanding trade between the two sides and the "yellow dust" from China's Gobi Desert which clouds the skies over South Korea, officials said. The two sides also agreed to expand two-way trade to $200bn (£100bn) by 2010, and to increase dialogue on foreign policy issues.
In Seoul, several dozen activists took part in a rally to highlight China's policy of repatriating North Korean refugees.
Beijing treats those that cross the border as economic migrants and sends them back - often, activists say, to harsh punishment.
After the summit, Mr Hu flies to the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, for a summit of a regional security grouping, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.After the summit, Mr Hu flies to the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, for a summit of a regional security grouping, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.