Chief nuclear envoys from South Korea, the United States and Japan met in Tokyo on Wednesday to discuss ways to resume the long-stalled multilateral talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear program, officials said.

The meeting brought together Seoul's top nuke negotiator Hwang Joon-kook; Sung Kim, the U.S. special representative for North Korea policy; and Japanese chief envoy Junichi Ihara, according to the foreign ministry.

Hwang, who arrived in Japan on Tuesday for a three-day visit, will also have separate bilateral talks with the U.S. and Japan on Friday.

The six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear programs -- involving the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia -- have been dormant since late 2008, when Pyongyang walked away from the bargaining table.

The trilateral meeting comes after the U.S. imposed fresh sanctions on the North early this month following the North's alleged hacking of Sony Pictures.

There are growing concerns here that Washington's tough stance on the North may hamper Seoul's efforts to improve its ties with Pyongyang.

Kim, the U.S. nuclear envoy, said on Jan. 14 that inter-Korean dialogue will support Washington's overall efforts on North Korea's denuclearization as well.

Mark Lippert, the U.S. ambassador to Seoul, said Tuesday that Washington is not concerned about the "speed or scope" of inter-Korean dialogue, signaling that its tough stance on North Korea doesn't conflict with Seoul's peace initiative.

Pyongyang has called for the resumption of the six-party talks without preconditions following its third nuclear test in February 2013. But Seoul and Washington have insisted that the North should first show its sincere commitment toward denuclearization.

The North offered on Jan. 10 to temporarily halt nuclear tests if the U.S. suspends its annual military exercises with South Korea this year, a proposal flatly rejected by Seoul and Washington. (Yonhap)