N. Korea: Is Kim Jong Il Avoiding Visiting Chinese Official?

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il could be avoiding talking to Chinese envoy Wang Jiarui, who arrived in Pyongyang for a three-day visit Saturday.

No confirmation came late yesterday afternoon that Wang, director of the international liaison department of the central committee of the Chinese Communist Party, held talks with Kim.

North Korean media said after midnight yesterday that Kim visited a company in Hamhung, South Hamkyong Province. The report failed to mention when he went to the city.

Considering that North Korea’s media usually reports on Kim a day after his activities, chances are high that he visited Sunday. It takes about five hours to drive from Pyongyang to Hamhung.

As such, this might have prevented Kim and Wang from holding the meeting they were expected to hold yesterday. The Chinese official is scheduled to return home today.

Kim’s apparent avoidance of Wang could be a sign of North Korea’s dilemma. If the two men hold a meeting, Kim will likely face pressure to make positive comments on Pyongyang’s return to the six-way nuclear talks without preconditions. If North Korea rejects the meeting, it could anger China and further burden the North Korean economy.

Analysts say the primary purpose of Wang’s visit is to urge Pyongyang to return to the six-way talks. So Kim might have intentionally stayed away from Wang to avoid giving a clear-cut answer on a return to dialogue.

Kim told Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao in Pyongyang in October last year that North Korea is “willing to participate in multilateral talks, including the six-way talks, depending on the progress in negotiations with the U.S.”

By not speaking to Wang, Kim might have also sought to send an indirect message that Washington needs to make a major decision and bigger concession. He could be expecting the U.S. hints at discussion over a peace regime and the lifting of U.N. sanctions against North Korea as proposed by Pyongyang in return for its resumption of the six-way talks.

Nevertheless, a late-night surprise meeting between Kim and Wang cannot be ruled out. Wang is a member of the Beijing power elite who has spoken to Kim in four previous visits to North Korea since January 2004.

If Kim does indeed see Wang, it could imply that Pyongyang desperately needs Beijing’s assistance to sustain its shaky economy.

Update: Chinese envoy did finally meet Kim Jong-il(see the following news article from Itar-tass.) However, it is obvious that Kim did not give 'earnest' welcome. Letting a visitor wait, keep him guessing to the last moment, and giving audience at the last moment, is a favorite pressure tactic Kim has been using. Mostly to visiting S. Korean dignitaries. This is a way he can manipulate his counterparts whom he feel are potential adversaries. Now he does it to Chinese envoy. This is unusual. Clearly, he is not happy about the way things have been going, prompting him to put extra pressure on China to make it bend toward his way. Not sure how successful Chia Head was, though. China would not like the antic like this. Will they put up with Kim one more time?

(From Itar-tass: http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=14801891&PageNum=0 )

Denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula is North Korea’s invariable position - Kim Jong Il

09.02.2010, 10.22

BEIJING, February 9 (Itar-Tass) - Denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula is North Korea’s invariable position, Secretary General of the Workers’ Party of Korea, Chairman of the State Defence Committee of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Il said at a meeting in the city of Hamhung (North Korea) with Director of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Wang Jiarui.

According to the DPRK leader, “Efforts taken by the corresponding sides for the resumption of the six-sided talks on denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula are of major importance.”

The Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday that Kim Jong Il reiterated on Monday the country’s persistent stance to realise the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

The sincerity of relevant parties to resume the six-party talks is very important, Kim said during a meeting with Wang Jiarui. The DPRK is willing to make efforts with China to further strengthen the communication and coordination, Kim said.

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