Country partners with China to seek north's disarmament

Seoul, South Korea (AP):

The office of South Korea's president says he and his Chinese counterpart have agreed to cooperate closely in seeking North Korea's nuclear disarmament. President Lee Myung-bak's office said in a statement yesterday that he and Chinese President Hu Jintao reached the agreement in a meeting on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Seoul.

It said Lee also asked China to provide more information about its economic reforms to North Korea. Most of North Korea's economy remains rigidly state-controlled. Hu said he told North Korean leaders when they visited Beijing recently that improved ties between the two Koreas is important for the maintenance of peace. China is North Korea's biggest source of diplomatic and economic support.