The ministers expressed sympathy at the heavy loss of life and exchanged views on the incident, South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-Hwan told a press conference after talks with China's Yang Jiechi and Japan's Katsuya Okada.

Suspicions are growing that a North Korean torpedo downed the warship near the disputed inter-Korean border on March 26 with the loss of 46 lives.

A multi-national investigation is to report by next Thursday and Seoul is weighing its diplomatic and economic options if the North -- which denies involvement -- is found to have sunk the corvette.

In bilateral talks earlier Saturday with Yang in the southern city of Gyeongju, Yu sought Beijing's support in dealing with the issue.

China is the North's sole major ally and its economic lifeline. As a veto-wielding member its backing would be crucial if the South takes the matter to the United Nations Security Council.

"Minister Yang pointed out that a scientific and objective investigation (into the sinking) is very important," Yonhap news agency quoted a Seoul foreign ministry official as saying.

The three ministers said in a joint statement they also exchanged views on conditions in Northeast Asia and joint efforts against the global economic crisis, as well as climate change and the upcoming G20 summit in Seoul.

The ministers also briefly discussed the resumption of stalled six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear disarmament. All three countries are members along with the North, the United States and Russia.

The North quit the talks in April 2009, a month before staging a second nuclear test, but has since indicated interest in returning on certain conditions.

Seoul and Washington say the talks cannot resume until the mystery over the Cheonan's fate is cleared up, while Beijing says the two issues are separate.

South Korean officials say US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected to visit South Korea around the end of this month to show solidarity over the sinking.

Yu stressed the importance of the trilateral meeting, the fourth of its kind.

The meetings "have a very significant meaning for the rest of the world when considering their combined share of the world population and the GDP", he told reporters.

The Gyeongju talks, which continue Sunday, are making preparations for a three-way summit on the southern South Korean island of Jeju on May 29-30.

The ministers are also expected to finalise their earlier agreement to establish a permanent secretariat for regional cooperation, Yonhap news agency said.

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