China’s chief nuclear envoy said Friday he plans to visit North Korea to coordinate efforts to revive six-party talks on the North, wrapping up a South Korean visit that coincided with a trip to Pyongyang by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter.

Speaking to Yonhap News Agency before departing for China, Wu Dawei, however, said he did not yet have a specific timetable for his visit to North Korea, the focal point of the long-stalled talks that also group South Korea, the United States, Russia and Japan.

Wu declined to comment specifically on Carter’s three-day trip to North Korea that ended Thursday, during which the former U.S. leader said North Korean leader Kim Jong-il proposed holding a summit with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.

Wu had proposed earlier this month that the nuclear envoys of the two Koreas first hold dialogue to set the stage for other forms of dialogue such as the six-party denuclearization-for-aid talks.

Carter did not meet with Kim Jong-il during his trip that also involved three other former Western leaders such as Mary Robinson of Ireland. After failing to meet with President Lee here, Carter left for the U.S. earlier in the day from Incheon International Airport.

Wu later left for China from the same airport, located west of Seoul.

Earlier on Friday, Wu met with Chun Young woo, top presidential aide for foreign affairs and national security, their first encounter after WikiLeaks revealed allegations that the former South Korean nuclear negotiator had spoken critically of the Chinese official. 

(Yonhap News)