Former Korean Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, left, talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, right, in Beijing, in this picture provided by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, June 29. Yonhap

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called on Seoul to promptly investigate the cause of a recent deadly fire at a battery factory in Korea, China's foreign ministry said Sunday.

The fire tore through a lithium battery factory in Hwaseong, 45 kilometers south of Seoul, killing 23 workers, including 17 Chinese nationals.

"Korea should swiftly determine the cause of the accident and handle it responsibly," Wang said in a meeting with former Korean Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan on Saturday on the sidelines of a conference in Beijing.

Wang also expressed his wish to continue improving ties with Seoul, which he described as a "close neighbor" and a "natural partner."

"China hopes to work together with Korea to promote healthy, stable and sustainable development in their bilateral relations," he said. (Yonhap)