By Chloe Kagan

May 28, 2010

SEOUL, South Korea — Facing increasing pressure to rein in North Korea, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao of China met with President Lee Myung-bak of South Korea on Friday before the start of three-party weekend talks with Japan.

South Korea is pushing for the United Nations Security Council to censure the North for allegedly sinking a South Korean warship in March with the loss of 46 sailors. An international investigative team has blamed the sinking on a North Korean torpedo.

Mr. Wen told Mr. Lee that China will make an “impartial judgment” on who was responsible for sinking the ship, said Mr. Lee’s spokesman, Lee Dong-kwan.

“Once we have our conclusion, we will not protect anyone,” Mr. Wen was quoted as saying.

Mr. Wen did not speak to reporters, and no immediate statement was available from the Chinese government on the talks in Seoul.

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