South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon is to leave for Washington on Saturday to meet US officials on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

In the US, Ban will meet his counterpart Condoleezza Rice and other top US officials to make preparations for the resumption of the fourth round six-party nuclear talks, reported South Korean Yonhap News Agency Wednesday.

South Korean chief nuclear negotiator and Deputy Foreign Minister Song Min-soon will accompany Ban on the trip, added Yonhap.

The first stage of the fourth-round six-party nuclear talks ended on August 7 after 13-day discussions in Beijing, China. The six parties -- China, the US, Russia, Japan, South and North Korea -- agreed to resume the talks in the last week of August.

The concerning parties have different views over Pyongyang's demand for the right of peaceful utilization of nuclear power.

Washington insists that Pyongyang must abandon all nuclear programs. But Pyongyang says it has the right to maintain and develop nuclear facilities for peaceful purposes.

(Xinhua News Agency August 18, 2005)