ROK seeks talks with China, US on air defense identification zone

SEOUL -- South Korea has been seeking a series of vice ministerial-level strategic talks with China and the United States to discuss the recently announced air defense identification zone (ADIZ) of China, local media reports said Sunday.

Seoul's Foreign Ministry was arranging detailed schedules to hold vice ministerial-level strategic dialogues with China and the United States, according to multiple foreign ministry and government officials cited by Yonhap News Agency and broadcaster MBC.

South Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kyou-hyun was seeking to travel to the United States in mid-December to hold the strategic dialogue with his US counterpart William Burns, US deputy secretary of state.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui was expected to visit Seoul for the strategic dialogue with South Korea, but detailed schedules have yet to be decided.

Seoul was seeking to hold such dialogue as rapidly as possible, hopefully within this year, said a source cited by Yonhap.

Seoul's seeking to the series of talks came after China announced the ADIZ over the East China Sea.