SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Yonhap) -- The United States agreed to provide up to 240,000 tons of food aid to North Korea in recent talks held in Beijing, diplomatic sources in Seoul said Saturday, noting the agreement could help ensure progress at a fresh round of nuclear negotiations scheduled for later this month.

The sides, the sources said, "reached the agreement based on North Korea's pledge to implement initial measures of denuclearization that include a suspension of its uranium enrichment program."

   The meeting between U.S. special envoy on North Korean human rights Robert King and Ri Kun, director-general for North American affairs at North Korea's foreign ministry, was held for two days from Thursday.