U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell arrived in Seoul on Tuesday night for discussions aimed at prodding the North back to nuclear talks after the state last week raised tensions by firing artillery toward a disputed sea border with the South.

Campbell had a meeting with South Korea´s Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Yong-joon to discuss bi-lateral matters including North Korea´s nuclear issues.

Campbell told reporters who were waiting outside the meeting room that sanctions would not come off before that.

Outside Seoul´s Foreign Ministry, a small group of pro-North Korean civic group members staged an anti-U.S. rally.

North Korea in recent weeks has called on the United States to hold talks on replacing the ceasefire that ended the Korean War, while at the same time making military threats to U.S. ally South Korea.

A peace deal could help North Korea secure more aid, decrease the risks of the U.S. Treasury blocking its international finances and increase its chances of receiving funds from global financial groups including the World Bank.

North and South Korea are still technically at war since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce without a peace treaty.