The Chinese Foreign Ministry has expressed concern over North Korea's planned rocket launch next month and asked for South Korea's cooperation to prevent the situation from aggravating.

Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Fu Ying met with South Korean ambassador to China Lee Kyu-hyung on Sunday. The Chinese official told the ambassador that Beijing expressed its concern over the rocket launch to North Korea and asked the North reconsider the plan.

During the meeting, Fu Ying also urged South Korea to remain calm and not further provoke North Korea.

Ambassador Lee, meanwhile, stressed that Pyongyang's launch of a satellite on the back of a long-range rocket is a provocative act that violates a UN Security Council resolution.

He urged China to take the necessary steps to prevent the launch.