US President Barack Obama's special envoy on Democratic People's Republic of Korea issues, Stephen Bosworth, has arrived in Pyongyang.

The envoy and his delegation flew up from a base near Seoul, and landed at an airport on the outskirts of the DPRK's capital on Tuesday. The primary goal of Bosworth's visit is said to be bringing the country back to the six-party talks. Pyongyang walked away from that platform a year ago. But no new incentives will be on offer as the envoy meets with DPRK officials during his three day trip.

A senior US official says Bosworth also wants to assess whether the nation plans to abide by a four-year-old pledge to give up on building an atomic arsenal in return for massive aid and security guarantees.