North Korea’s top diplomat is traveling to Sweden for talks, raising speculation on a possible link between his trip and the regime's forthcoming summit with the U.S. 

Reuters reports that North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho left Beijing on Thursday afternoon for Stockholm. Choe Kang-il, the deputy director general for North American affairs at the North's Foreign Ministry, was said to be accompanying Ri. 

According to the Swedish Foreign Ministry, Ri will have a two-day meeting with Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström in the Swedish capital beginning later in the day. 

The Swedish ministry said the two diplomats will discuss Sweden's consular responsibilities on behalf of the U.S., Canada and Australia, without disclosing the details. Sweden, which has an embassy in Pyongyang, represents the three countries in the North. 

The ministry said they will also discuss the security situation on the Korean Peninsula. 

[Photo : ]