Posted on 03/06/2007 4:01:55 PM PST by Jet Jaguar
Photos of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il smiling brightly inside the Chinese Embassy in Pyeongyang are having a strange effect on the minds of South Koreans. On Sunday, Kim visited the Chinese Embassy, accompanied by an entourage of high-ranking officials, including Workers' Party Secretary Kim Ki-nam, First Director of the KWP Central Committee Yi Yong-chul, First Vice Foreign Minister Kang Sok-ju, and Vice Minister of the Armed Forces Kim Jong-gak. There he joined Chinese Ambassador Liu Xiaoming and embassy staff to celebrate the traditional Chinese Lantern Festival on the first full moon of the Lunar New Year.
In photos released by the Chinese Embassy, the North Korean leader is either sitting across Ambassador Liu and his wife, with a wide smile on his face or engaged in a friendly conversation. The key North Korean officials are gathered nearby, their hands politely folded on their laps and their gazes fixed on the two men.
Under normal diplomatic circumstances, one of the few times an ambassador can meet the head of a country is when he is being given his credentials. And that meeting takes place inside the office of the president. An ambassador is usually matched with a Foreign Ministry official of the host country. South Korea’s vice foreign minister deals with the U.S. ambassador. This is the usual protocol under the normal circumstances.
This is the third time after 2000 and 2001 that Kim has visited the Chinese Embassy. The Chinese ambassador had reportedly invited him. The de facto foreign minister of North Korea, Kang Sok-ju, accompanied Kim that day. The North Korean leader’s visit to the Chinese Embassy usually led to his visit to Beijing that year and every time that happened, major changes took place in North Korea.
In just a few years, China acquired 50-year rights to a North Korean iron, coal, copper, zinc, gold and molybdenum mines. Exclusive, 50-year usage rights to Rhajin Port, construction rights to the Tumen River-Chongjin rail way also went over to China. It is no wonder that people are starting to say North Korea is becoming another Chinese province.
What would happen if the president of South Korea, at the invitation of the U.S. ambassador, visited the U.S. Embassy, flanked by his ruling party members, chief military officers and foreign minister to celebrate Christmas? Left-wing forces in South Korea would call the country the 51st state of America, criticizing the government for being a vassal of Washington. It would be very interesting to find out what these left-wing factions, who are so dedicated to independent governance, think of Kim’s visit to the Chinese Embassy at the calling of Beijing’s diplomatic representative?
</DickVitale>
China can bloody-well HAVE North Korea. That place is a starving basket-case and there is no way South Korea is going to want to muck out the aftermath it's inevitable collapse is going to cause.
as a thought experiment - were NK to be annexed by the chinese, it would be tremendous progress versus what NK is now. Not that the chinese are so stupid as to pick such a burden.
For the present, I don't think China wants to have to deal with its other neighbors, the US, and a foam at the mouth southern fiefdom stirring the waters.
So SK isn't below China, no, no...! No, apparently now SK is apparently below the dude who is HIMSELF below China...!!!
Photo next month: ChiaPet holding a garden hose with his pant legs rolled up, WASHING THE CAR of the Chinese ambassador to NK on the grounds of the PRC embassy grounds in Pyomyang...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.