Unification Minister Chung Dong-young met North Korea's number-two leader Kim Yong-nam on the third day of his visit to Pyongyang Thursday.

During a 20-minute one-on-one meeting at the Mokrankwan Banquet Hall, Chung briefed Kim on the results of last Saturday's summit between President Roh Moo-hyun and U.S. President George W. Bush. Chung told the head of the North Korean parliament that the United States has no intention of attacking the North and is ready to provide security guarantees if Pyongyang abandons its nuclear arms ambitions.

Chung also called for the North's swift return to the six-way nuclear talks and promised to offer a wide-ranging economic assistance package if Pyongyang commits itself to resolving the nuclear standoff.

Chung arrived in the North Korean capital Tuesday as the head of a 40-member South Korean government delegation to attend celebrations marking the June, 2000 inter-Korean summit.

Earlier on Thursday, the delegation met the senior North Korean official in a group meeting after attending the closing ceremony of the celebrations.

After the ceremony, Kim also hosted a farewell dinner for the South Korean delegation.

Attention is focused on whether the South's chief delegate will get to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-il before his return to Seoul on Friday.