A Japanese news agency says North Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Kang Suk-joo has agreed to return to the six-nation nuclear talks.

Radio Press, which monitors North Korean media, quoted Radio Russia as saying Wednesday that Kang had agreed to return to the stalled talks at talks with Chinese officials during his recent visit to China.

Meanwhile, the North's official Korean Central News Agency said Wednesday that Kang had made a four-day trip to Beijing from Saturday.

The report said that Kang held talks with State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and Deputy Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo on matters of mutual concern, including Pyongyang's nuclear issue. But the news agency stopped short of providing any more details on Kang's visit.