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US envoy 'visiting North Korea' US envoy Hill visits North Korea
(about 1 hour later)
US nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill is travelling to North Korea, the Japanese government has said. US envoy Christopher Hill has flown to North Korea amid speculation that international talks on Pyongyang's nuclear programme could restart soon.
Japanese spokesman Yasuhisa Shiozaki gave no details but said there would be discussions on resuming six-country talks on the North's nuclear programme. The US state department said Mr Hill - the highest-ranking American to visit North Korea for five years - would try to move the process forward.
Pyongyang agreed in February to shut down its main nuclear reactor at Yongbyon in return for aid. On Wednesday Mr Hill said he expected the six-party talks to resume in July.
The process has been delayed by a dispute over frozen North Korean funds in the Chinese territory of Macau. They had been held up by a row over North Korean funds that were frozen in Macau, but have now been released.
However Mr Hill announced on Tuesday that the money had been returned to North Korea.
The issue had been a continual sticking point for progress towards disarmament.The issue had been a continual sticking point for progress towards disarmament.
The row over the bank funds had been rumbling on for months. Pyongyang agreed in February to shut down its main nuclear reactor at Yongbyon in return for aid.
North Korea insisted it would not make any progress towards shutting its nuclear reactor - which it had agreed to do as part of a February deal - until it had received the money. But the North Koreans insisted they would not make any progress until they had received the money.
Mr Hill announced on Tuesday that the funds had been returned.
The South Korean news agency Yonhap said Mr Hill had left from a US military base in South Korea early on Thursday, and planned to return on Friday.
He has visited Japan, China, and South Korea in recent days.