South Korea's chief envoy will visit Washington next week for talks on how to deal with North Korea, a government official said Thursday, apparently as part of brisk shuttle diplomacy among regional powers following President Park Geun-hye's visit to Beijing.
  
Hwang Joon-kook, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, plans to leave for Washington "around next week" for a meeting with his American counterpart Sung Kim, the official told reporters on condition of anonymity. He stopped short of revealing a specific schedule, indicating the two sides are still in related consultations.
  
The allies have struggled to bring North Korea back to the six-party talks on its nuclear program. They have asked China to play a "constructive role" in that regard.
  
China's deputy envoy to the now-suspended negotiations, Xiao Qian, will also visit South Korea next week for discussions with director general-level officials here handling North Korea affairs.
  
Separately, South Korea is pushing for trilateral foreign ministerial talks with the U.S. and Japan on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly later this month, as well as a three-way meeting among their chief nuclear envoys, according to the official.
  
The flurry of diplomacy comes amid mounting concerns over another possible missile or nuclear test by North Korea around the 70th founding anniversary of its ruling Workers' Party, which falls on Oct. 10.
  
During a summit in the Chinese capital Wednesday, Park and Chinese President Xi Jinping, warned North Korea against such provocations and called for the swift resumption of "meaningful six-way talks." The multilateral forum, last held in late 2008, also involves Russia.  (Yonhap)