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N. Korean leader visits Beijing for talks with Xi

Posted January. 09, 2019 07:31,   

Updated January. 09, 2019 07:31

한국어

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Beijing Tuesday for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This marked Kim’s fourth trip to the ally for the past 10 months since he first traveled to Beijing in last March. While Kim warned that the North would take a “new path” in his New Year’s address, a coordinated message coming out of Kim’s sit-down with Xi is likely to point to the future direction of a second U.S.-North Korea summit and nuclear talks.

Following the bilateral summit, a welcome ceremony was held at the Great Hall of the People. Kim’s arrival in Beijing also coincided with what is believed to be his birthday. The North Korean leader is reportedly set to visit economy-related facilities in Beijing on Wednesday, but some speculate that he will make a surprise visit to Baekdu Mountain on the Chinese side.

As North Korea chose its old ally as the first country for summit diplomacy in the new year, the Trump administration has refrained from presenting an official response, keeping a close watch on what Kim and Xi would say after their meeting. Trump said Sunday (local time) that the United States and North Korea are in talks over the location of a second summit, and the venue will be announced “in the not too distant future.”


In-Chan Hwang hic@donga.com · Wan-Jun Yun zeitung@donga.com