South Korea's chief nuclear negotiator is open to meeting with his North Korean counterpart in Beijing later this week, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported on Monday.

"It would be best if they could meet each other before the resumption of the six-party talks (on the nuclear issue)," an unnamed Foreign Ministry official was quoted as saying by Yonhap, adding that South Korea has no reason to avoid such a meeting.

Kim Sook, South Korea's chief negotiator for the six-party talks on the nuclear issues on the Korean Peninsula, is scheduled to travel to Russia and considers to have a meeting with his DPRK counterpart Kim Kye-gwan in Beijing, officials of the South Korean Foreign Ministry said.

The U.S. chief nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill will hold talks with Kim Kye-gwan in Beijing in preparation for the six-party talks. Hill will reportedly travel to Beijing from Tuesday to Thursday before flying to Moscow, Yonhap said.

Kim Sook was assigned as South Korea's chief nuclear negotiator in April.

(Xinhua News Agency May 26, 2008)