Officials of the two Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia have convened in Beijing for working-level discussions ahead of the third round of six-way nuclear talks.

The two-day working level discussions are expected to focus on a freeze-for-compensation deal in which Pyongyang freezes its nuclear facilities in return for security assurances and economic incentives.

The working group meeting will be followed by a main session beginning Wednesday.

Earlier on Sunday, South Korea's delegation held bilateral talks with Chinese officials, followed by a three-way meeting with officials from the U.S. and Japan.

At the trilateral meeting, the three countries reaffirmed their commitment to seeking a full dismantlement of the North's atomic weapons program, and agreed on the need to make substantial headway in the third round of six-party nuclear talks.

Two previous rounds of nuclear discussions yielded few results.