CHINA: Chinese and North Korean state media confirm North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's visit to its communist ally

Record ID: 853662

  • Title: CHINA: Chinese and North Korean state media confirm North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's visit to its communist ally
  • Date: 31st August 2010
  • Summary: NAMYANG CITY, NORTH KOREA (AUGUST 30, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TWO TRAINS IN NAMYAN MAN WALKING BESIDE WHITE BUILDING ON RAILTRACK RAILTRACK IN NORTH KOREA OVER THE TUMEN RIVER BETWEEN TUMEN, CHINA AND NAMYANG, NORTH KOREA (AUGUST 30, 2010) (REUTERS) ==NIGHT FOOTAGE== TRAIN CROSSING BRIDGE NAMYANG CITY, NORTH KOREA (AUGUST 30, 2010) (REUTERS) ==NIGHT FOOTAGE==
  • Embargoed: 15th September 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • City:
  • Country: China
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVADP79HXBE1FEDZI8631CFT6S24
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Chinese and North Korean state media on Monday (August 30) confirmed that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il had visited the country, where he met China's President Hu Jintao in the northeastern city of Changchun.
    Kim told Hu that he remained committed to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and that he hoped for an early resumption of multi-lateral talks on the North's nuclear programme, Chinese state television said.
    Analysts believe the trip may have been to line up Beijing behind Kim's plans to anoint his youngest son as the reclusive state's next leader. But neither Chinese media nor North Korea's official KCNA news agency made any mention of his son.
    Kim said that North Korea has not shifted in its support of the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, and does not want to see tensions on the peninsula, Chinese state television reported on its main evening news.
    Kim hopes to maintain close communication and coordination with China to promote an early resumption of the six-party talks and ease tensions on the Korean peninsula, it added, referring to stalled multilateral talks on the North's nuclear programme.
    Hu said that maintaining peace and stability in Korea was "everyone's aspiration", adding talks on the North's nuclear ambitions should "be restarted as quickly as possible".
    But the reports made no mention of Kim's youngest son. A source told Reuters at the weekend that Kim had been accompanied by his youngest son -- his presumed heir.
    The North's official KCNA news agency quoted Kim telling a banquet in his honour: "Steadily developing the friendship through generations is an important issue in defending peace and security in the Northeast Asia and the rest of the world."
    On late Monday (August 30) Reuters TV crew confirmed an armoured train that appeared to be Kim's crossed from Chinese border city of Tumen into North Korea.
    At around 7 p.m. local time (11 GMT) a long train with some windows illuminated, which was believed to be carrying Kim, crawled across the railway bridge into North Korea, at almost exactly the same time as media reported the visit.
    China is the only major supporter for North Korea, which is largely isolated from the international community over its nuclear weapons programme and which has come under further condemnation after South Korea accused it of sinking one of its warships earlier this year.
    China's official Xinhua news agency also praised ties between the two, especially the bonds forged between their people during the 1950-53 Korean War.
    Kim, 68, who rarely travels abroad, was in China for the second time this year. This time he is thought to have brought along his youngest son Kim Jong-un, widely seen as the next head of the family dynasty that has led North Korea since its founding more than 60 years ago.
    Kim may be lining up China behind succession plans involving his son, foreign analysts have said. The Workers' Party (WPK), which rubber-stamps big decisions in the North, is due to hold a rare meeting in September that could set in motion succession steps.
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