UNITED NATIONS/PYONGYANG - The UN's political chief on Saturday stressed the urgency of reducing tensions on the Korean Peninsula after finishing his four-day visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "There can only be a diplomatic solution to the situation, achieved through a process of sincere dialogue," UN Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman said in a press release, adding that "Time is of the essence." Feltman arrived in the DPRK on Tuesday to begin a rare four-day visit at the invitation of Pyongyang, for a "wide-ranging" discussion on policy issues "of mutual interest and concern." During his visit, Feltman also met with the United Nations Country Team and members of the diplomatic corps, and visited UN project sites, including a children's foodstuff factory, TB prevention institute, breast tumor institute, and paediatric hospital. During the site visits he learned about the UN's lifesaving work on the ground as well as the challenges in procurement and funding gaps.