A man presumed to be a senior North Korean official has reportedly arrived in China ahead of a working-level meeting between the U.S. and the North in Singapore.  

Japan's Kyodo News Agency says the official arrived in Beijing on a plane from Pyongyang on Thursday and headed to the downtown area in a Chinese government vehicle. 

Kyodo said although the purpose of the visit remains unclear, the person could be an official who will attend a U.S.-North Korea meeting in Singapore this weekend to prepare for the planned bilateral summit. 

According to a source with knowledge of the North, the man left Beijing Capital International Airport at 12:30 p.m. but could not be identified as he covered his face with an umbrella. 

The source doubts the man is a top North Korean official, saying no such visit was arranged in advance. 

A working-level meeting between the North and the U.S. to prepare for the June 12th summit was initially arranged to be held in Singapore earlier this month, but the North Korean delegation did not show up. 

[Photo : KBS News]