National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug said he will ask Beijing to drastically increase cultural exchanges with South Korea. 

While visiting the Olympics media center in Beijing Friday, Park said cultural exchanges will be a driving force to advance bilateral relations when asked by KBS about the diplomatic purpose of his visit.

Park said he will also extensively discuss inter-Korean ties and Korean Peninsula affairs in talks with his counterpart Li Zhanshu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

On whether he felt burdened by the diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics staged by other countries, the speaker said he was invited by Li to visit during past talks, adding the trip will serve to mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

Arriving in the Chinese capital Thursday, Park will attend the opening ceremony on Friday and participate in a lunch hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday. 

He will also hold talks with Li Zhanshu and engage in virtual meetings with Korean residents and correspondents based in Beijing.

Separately, a government delegation from Seoul led by Culture Minister Hwang Hee also arrived in Beijing on Thursday. Hwang will attend the opening ceremony and meet with ranking officials including International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach.