After months of ignoring China's warnings to give up its nuclear program, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a high-level confidant to Beijing on Wednesday, in a possible effort to mend strained ties with its most important ally and the latest sign that Pyongyang may be giving diplomacy a chance.

North Korea sent one of its top military officials as a "special envoy" from its leader Kim Jong-un to Beijing on Wednesday, accompanied by a high-powered delegation in what appeared to be a bid to mend frayed relations with its most important ally.

North Korea fired a sixth short-range missile into the Sea of Japan on Monday, defying warnings from U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon and South Korea after a flurry of similar tests at the weekend.

On May 3, South Korea delivered US$13 million in cash to North Korea and withdrew the last batch of seven South Koreans from the industrial complex in the North Korean border town of Kaesong. The money was for back pay and severance pay to 53,000 North Koreans that had been withdrawn from the South Korean factories in the industrial complex at the height of inter-Korean tensions the previous month.

North Korea Sunday test-fired a short-range missile off its east coast, its fourth in two days, despite pleas from South Korea and the U.N. chief to halt the launches at a time of high tensions.

North Korea on Saturday launched three short-range missiles into the Sea of Japan, apparently as part of a military drill, South Korea's defense ministry said.

South Korea says North Korea has fired three short-range guided missiles into its eastern waters. Pyongyang routinely test-launches such missiles.

South Korea Thursday criticized an “unhelpful” visit to North Korea by a senior aide to Japan's prime minister, saying it weakened the united front needed to deal with Pyongyang.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye said Tuesday she wants talks with North Korea about removing raw materials and finished products from a joint industrial complex closed by military tensions.

South Korea's presidential office apologized Sunday for an “very shameful” scandal involving a former senior official who was fired midway through President Park Geun-hye's U.S. visit.