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North Korea has placed surface-to-surface missiles on launch pads in the Yellow Sea, Yonhap news agency said, as the United States and South Korea began military drills and China called for emergency talks.

But China made clear that the talks would not amount to a resumption of six-party discussions, which North Korea walked out of two years ago and declared dead.

South Korea’s presidential Blue House also said now was not the time to discuss resumption of six-party talks.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak had told a visiting Chinese delegation that Beijing, Pyongyang’s only major ally which is traditionally reluctant to criticize the reclusive regime, should do more to help.

China, which agreed with South Korea that the situation was “worrisome,” suggested emergency talks among six governments involved in discussions aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear program.

The call was made by a senior Chinese diplomat, Wu Dawei, at a brief news conference. The talks bring together North and South Korea, host China, the United States, Japan and Russia.

Japan was noncommittal. “We want to respond cautiously while cooperating closely with South Korea and the United States,” Kyodo news agency quoted Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Tetsuro Fukuyama as saying.

Beijing has repeatedly urged restraint and fresh talks to defuse tensions.

Yonhap said North Korea had moved surface-to-air missiles to frontline areas, days after it shelled a tiny South Korean island killing four people. The North’s official KCNA news agency warned of retaliatory action if its territory were violated.

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