U.S. envoy arrives in Seoul for talks with South Korean counterparts

The U.S. envoy for North Korea arrived in Seoul on Monday for talks with his South Korean counterparts on ways to address Pyongyang's increased missile launches and concerns over the possible resumption of nuclear testing.

U.S. Special Representative Sung Kim and his deputy, Jung Pak, will meet South Korean officials, including nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk, during a five-day visit.

Their arrival coincided with the start of a nine-day annual military drill by U.S. and South Korean troops. The exercise is a defensive command post training using computer simulation, and will not involve field manoeuvres by troops, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Sunday.

North Korea has condemned the joint drills as rehearsals for war, and they have been scaled back in recent years because of efforts to engage Pyongyang in diplomacy, and because of COVID 19 restrictions.

On Saturday, North Korea fired what state media said were missiles involved in delivery of tactical nuclear weapons.

On arrival, Kim told reporters he was in Seoul to continue close coordination on North Korea developments, but was not elaborated on by Yonhap news agency.

He has said he is open to talks with North Korea at any time, and without preconditions, but Pyongyang has so far rebuffed those overtures, accusing Washington of maintaining hostile policies such as sanctions and military drills.

South Korean media reported that Kim was expected to meet with the transition team for President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, who takes office in May.

A spokesman for the team said there was no meeting between Yoon and Kim and it could not be immediately confirmed whether the envoy would be meeting other transition officials.