The U.S. State Department says it has no information on reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is planning to visit China.

Assistant Secretary of State Philip Crowley made the statement to reporters Thursday.

His remark comes after a senior State Department official said on Tuesday that Washington would welcome any trip to China by Kim if it helps reopen the six-party denuclearization talks.

Meanwhile, Crowley added that no progress has been reported on the detainment of Robert Park, an American missionary who crossed into North Korea from China illegally late last month.

Crowley said the first step in handling the matter is to get consular access to the detained American via the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang, which represents U.S. consular interests in the North.