US urges China to restrain North Korea

Jan 5, 2012, 14:18 GMT

Seoul - A top US official on Thursday urged China to use its influence to hold North Korea back from military provocations while it undergoes its change in leadership.

'We also urge China to make clear the importance of restraint by the new North Korean leadership,' said Kurt Campbell, assistant secretary of state and the most important US official to visit the region since the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in December.

Kim's son, Kim Jong Un, succeeded him and has been appointed supreme commander of all military forces, as well as the ruling party.

After meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung Hwan in Seoul, Campbell also called on North Korea to improve relations with its southern neighbour.

He underlined US commitment to South Korea and said that an improvement in inter-Korean relations was essential for better relations between North Korea and the United States, as well as the rest of the world.

Foreign Minister Kim reaffirmed South Korea's willingness for dialogue with the North, despite its rejection of a New Year's offer by President Lee Myung Bak.

Given past North Korean provocations - in 2010, Pyongyang was accused of torpedoing a South Korean military vessel and engaged in a firefight that killed four on a South Korean border island - Seoul is worried that the leadership transition could result in more unpredictable behaviour.

South Korea and the United States also announced their intention Wednesday to increase the number of joint military training exercises, a plan which had already been approved in principle in autumn.

Campbell is due to hold talks in Tokyo on Friday with the Japanese government.

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