A renowned expert on international affairs at one of China’s top universities says the chances of an improvement in relations between South and North Korea are slim while President Lee Myung-bak is in office.

Yan Xuetong, who is dean of the Institute of International Studies at Tsinghua University, made the comment at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

According to Yan, North Korea believes there's no hope to improve the relationship with the South while Lee is in office in the South, so they're waiting for the next president. He said North Korea is very determined to prepare to improve the relationship with Seoul after Lee Myung-bak is out of office.

Yan said that this is because of the hard-line stance Lee has taken in regards to Pyongyang.

Yan added that China’s main focus is on avoiding a war on the Korean Peninsula and that Beijing supports the “Sunshine policy” of economic engagement toward the North.