Reports: Kim in China
Source: Agencies |
August 27, 2010, Friday
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Print Edition
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NORTH Korea leader Kim Jong-il is visiting China possibly with his son and heir apparent, South Korean government sources said, ahead of a meeting next month that may settle his succession.
The Workers' Party is holding a meeting in September at which it could set in motion the succession of the leader's son, Kim Jong-un, analysts say.
"Kim Jong-il is traveling through China by train, but we have no information as to whether his son is accompanying him," a South Korea presidential source said.
A South Korean foreign ministry source said there was evidence that both Kim and his son were in China. South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that Kim was in Jilin Province, visiting a school his father, North Korea's founder Kim Il-sung, attended as a child.
Teachers at the Yuwen Middle School in Jilin City said the North Korean leader visited their school for about 20 minutes yesterday.
Kim rarely travels abroad. But this would be the second time since May that he has gone to China.
There is speculation that Kim is in poor health following a suspected stroke in 2008.
Daniel Pinkston, a specialist on Korean affairs in Seoul, said a visit was most likely connected to the Workers' Party meeting.
Wu Dawei, China's top envoy on stalled North Korean nuclear disarmament talks, told reporters at Seoul's Incheon airport that he could not comment on the issue, but hinted at a visit.
"What I would like to stress is that China and North Korea are close neighbors and it is normal thing for leaders of the two countries to exchange visits frequently," he said.
The Workers' Party is holding a meeting in September at which it could set in motion the succession of the leader's son, Kim Jong-un, analysts say.
"Kim Jong-il is traveling through China by train, but we have no information as to whether his son is accompanying him," a South Korea presidential source said.
A South Korean foreign ministry source said there was evidence that both Kim and his son were in China. South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that Kim was in Jilin Province, visiting a school his father, North Korea's founder Kim Il-sung, attended as a child.
Teachers at the Yuwen Middle School in Jilin City said the North Korean leader visited their school for about 20 minutes yesterday.
Kim rarely travels abroad. But this would be the second time since May that he has gone to China.
There is speculation that Kim is in poor health following a suspected stroke in 2008.
Daniel Pinkston, a specialist on Korean affairs in Seoul, said a visit was most likely connected to the Workers' Party meeting.
Wu Dawei, China's top envoy on stalled North Korean nuclear disarmament talks, told reporters at Seoul's Incheon airport that he could not comment on the issue, but hinted at a visit.
"What I would like to stress is that China and North Korea are close neighbors and it is normal thing for leaders of the two countries to exchange visits frequently," he said.
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