North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made a one-day trip to China without meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in person, the first such visit since he took power. Analysts said the trip appeared aimed at exploring economic cooperation between the two countries following the opening of the New Yalu River Bridge, while also preparing for the possibility of dialogue with the United States.
The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 25th that Kim visited Dandong in China's Liaoning province on the 24th, a day before the 76th anniversary of China's entry into the Korean War. It was Kim's first trip to China in one year and one month, following his attendance at ceremonies marking the 80th anniversary of China's victory in World War II last September. The visit is also seen as intended to dispel baseless rumors of his death that circulated recently and to demonstrate that he remains in good health.
Kim is believed to have departed Pyongyang by train, switched to a car in Sinuiju and crossed the New Yalu River Bridge, which opened on the 15th of this month, before arriving in Dandong. Accompanying him were his sister Kim Yo-jong, director of the Workers' Party General Affairs Department, Jo Yong-won, secretary of the Workers' Party Central Committee, and Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui. On the Chinese side, Wang Huning, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the country's No. 4 official, Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission and foreign minister, and Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu greeted Kim and joined him for the day's events.
Kim first visited the Memorial Hall of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea in Dandong, where he emphasized the blood alliance between the two countries. The museum commemorates China's participation in the Korean War. "It is the will of our party, our government and our people to forever firmly carry forward the invincible China-North Korea friendship forged in blood," Kim said.
He then attended a welcome banquet arranged on Xi's special instructions and toured a bus factory in Dandong. Around sunset, he posed for commemorative photographs at the New Yalu River Bridge and said, "This bridge will faithfully carry out its historic mission of connecting the two countries and binding our hearts together even more firmly."
The Presidential Office said it is "closely monitoring related developments" regarding Kim's trip. The visit appears to have focused on reaffirming the blood alliance between North Korea and China on the occasion of the Korean War anniversary and on exploring economic cooperation. Some analysts said Kim may also have sounded out the possibility of dialogue with Washington ahead of the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 3 and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, on Nov. 18-19.
Yang Moo-jin, chair professor at the University of North Korean Studies, said: "Chairman Wang is Xi's strategist and close confidant, and the fact that Foreign Minister Wang and Foreign Minister Choe sat in on the talks suggests they may have discussed U.S.-North Korea dialogue."