China's Wen to visit North Korea: Report

China's Premier Wen Jiabao will visit North Korea for two days from October 4 to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, a Japanese news agency reported.

China's Premier Wen Jiabao will visit North Korea for two days from October 4 to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, a Japanese news agency reported on Saturday.

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The report by Kyodo, datelined Beijing, attributed the information only to "sources" whom it did not further identify.

Earlier this month, South Korea's Yonhap agency, citing unnamed diplomatic sources, also reported that Wen was due in Pyongyang in early October, but Beijing's foreign ministry refused to confirm or deny Yonhap's report.

In April North Korea quit the six-party forum grouping China, the two Koreas, Japan, Russia and the United States after the United Nations censured a long-range rocket test, and has instead sought direct talks with Washington.

Washington said earlier this month it was prepared to talk directly with the North but only to bring it back to the six-nation talks.