N.K.’s Ri Su Yong visits China in bid to dismantle sanctions

Ri Su Yong, vice chairman of the North Korean Workers’ Party’s Central Committee, paid a surprise visit to China by leading a large delegation on Tuesday.

Attention is focusing on what impact his visit will have on North Korea-China relations, as it occurred about three months after the U.N. Security Council started sanctions against the North after Pyongyang’s fourth nuclear test. The visit is similar to a surprise visit by Choe Ryong Hae as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s special envoy on May 22, 2013 ahead of the 90th day after the UN Security Council’s sanctions that followed Pyongyang’s third nuclear test in February 2013. Watchers say that the North, which secured easing of sanctions by China after expressing intention to hold dialogue, is expecting similar effect again this time around.

Ri Su Yong, who served as guardian of Kim Jong Un when the latter was in Switzerland for overseas study, is staying at Diaoyutai in Beijing. He will reportedly meet with a number of Chinese leaders, including Sung Tao, chief of external communications at the Chinese Communist Party. Attention is also focusing on whether Ri will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and deliver Kim Jong Un’s letter. Since Kim Jong Un was inaugurated to the new post of party committee chairman at the Seventh Workers’ Party Congress, there is a chance that Ri will discuss about Pyongyang-Beijing summit through Kim’s visit to China going forward.

However, it is uncertain whether or not Pyongyang’s attempt to escape from isolation due to sanctions by banking on Beijing’s backing will work again this time. On Tuesday when Ri visited China, North Korea continued duel-track approach of dialogue and provocations including attempted launch of the ‘Musudan’ intermediate range ballistic missile with a maximum range of 3,000 - 4,000 kilometers.

The North attempted launch of the Musudan by using a transporter erector launcher around Wonsan area in Gangwon Province at around 5:20 a.m. on the day, but the missile reportedly exploded when it was erected on the launcher, causing casualties including severe injuries to engineers nearby. The North attempted launch of the Musudan twice on April 28 after the failed launch on April 15, only to end up in failure again. Pyongyang attempted launch of the Musudan in about a month since this time, but it has failed in four consecutive attempts.

윤완준기자 zeitung@donga.com · 베이징=구자룡특파원 bonhong@donga.com