South Korea's top nuclear envoy said that Seoul is paying close attention to North Korea’s response to the South’s proposal to hold an inter-Korean dialogue on the North's denuclearization and to China's recent suggestion to follow a step-by-step procedure to resume the stalled six-party talks.

Following his meeting with U.S. officials in Washington on Tuesday local time, Seoul's top nuclear negotiator to the six party talks Wi Sung-lac told reporters that the U.S. showed no changes in its stance toward the resumption of the multinational talks.

Wi also added that that North Korea’s apology for its sinking of a South Korean naval vessel and its shelling of Yeonpyeong Island is not a precondition for the reopening of the six-way talks, but rather a factor that affects the issue.

On resuming food aid to the North, the envoy hinted at a possibility of Washington's sending an on-site inspection team to the North, saying that he is aware of such talk.

In Washington on Tuesday, Wi met with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research Phillip Goldberg. He is scheduled to sit down with U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth on Wednesday and with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg on Thursday local time.