South Korea has signalled it will not seek any new sanctions against the communist North over the sinking of one of its warships.

Pyongyang has threatened war if the United Nations Security Council punishes it over the sinking.

Departing for China, South Korea's vice foreign minister Chun Yung-woo revealed that Seoul would not ask the Security Council for new sanctions against Kim Jong-il's regime.

The minister says there would be no practical benefits in such a move.

But Mr Chun is heading to Beijing in a bid to convince the Chinese to support a censure of North Korea in the Security Council in response to the torpedoing of the Cheonan warship in March.

Of the permanent members on the council, both China and Russia have so far not revealed if they will support a censure motion.