South Korea's vice defense minister has renewed Seoul's opposition against forced repatriation of North Korean defectors in China, the latest in a series of diplomatic pressure being put on Beijing to address the issue.

South Korea's Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho made the remark in talks with Lt. Gen. Jing Jianfeng, deputy chief of staff of China's Joint Staff Department, on the margins of the Xiangshan Forum, an international security dialogue, in Beijing on Sunday, Seoul's defense ministry said.

Human rights advocacy groups claimed China has recently sent hundreds of North Koreans from its northeastern border regions back to North Korea, despite Seoul's repeated calls against forced repatriation.

As Pyongyang's key ally, China does not recognize North Korean defectors as refugees and regularly repatriates them to their home country, where they can face harsh punishment.

Kim also requested China's "constructive" role as a permanent member of the UN Security Council to resolve the issue of North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

During the talks, the two sides agreed to resume personnel exchanges and cooperation that had been halted or cut back during the COVID-19 pandemic and to strengthen communication to enhance mutual trust, the defense ministry said. (Yonhap)