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Speculation rising over NK leader's possible visit to China
By YonhapPublished : May 8, 2018 - 14:32
BEIJING -- Speculation is rising that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has visited China again in an apparent move to strengthen the relationship with his country's traditional ally ahead of his upcoming summit with US President Donald Trump.
According to sources, an apparent North Korean plane carrying a top Pyongyang official arrived in the Chinese northeastern city of Dalian on Monday, a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to attend a ceremony marking the test operation of his country's aircraft carrier.
Should the North Korean official on the plane be confirmed to be the North's leader, it would be his second known visit to China following the surprise trip there for his first summit with Xi in late March.
"It appears that an apparently top-ranking North Korean official has visited Dalian," a source said, declining to be named. "Considering various circumstances related to the protocol, chances are high that the official would be Chairman Kim."
The trip, though still unconfirmed, comes as China is seeking to avoid being sidelined in a flurry of diplomacy on the reclusive state, with the North seeking to improve ties with its traditional ally as its backer in case its nuclear negotiations with the US get bogged down, analysts said. (Yonhap)
