6-Party Envoys to Meet in Seoul Over N.Korean Nuke Test

The top envoys of South Korea, Japan and the U.S. to the six-party talks on North Korean denuclearization meet in Seoul on Wednesday to discuss the North's fourth nuclear test last week, the Foreign Ministry said Monday.

A three-way meeting of vice foreign ministers from these countries is scheduled in Tokyo over the weekend. The aim is to come up with ways to induce changes in China's reluctance to implement strong sanctions against Pyongyang.

The U.S. has loudly condemned China's passivity, in the middle of a somewhat peevish campaign to bring its allies on side against Beijing. This in turn has incensed Chinese officials.

A South Korean official said, "Beijing has shown very strong objections to South Korea, Japan, and the U.S. collaborating because they see it as an American strategy to keep China in check. But at the moment it is China that is causing conflict."

Meanwhile, Seoul imposed additional sanctions against North Korea on Monday, including restrictions on entering and leaving the Kaesong Industrial Complex.

Unification Ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee said, "We will reduce the number of people staying in Kaesong to the minimum required to run the businesses there from Tuesday."

Cheong Wa Dae said on Monday that President Park Geun-hye will address to the nation on Wednesday morning.