▲ National flags of China and North Korea
Kim Song-nam, North Korea's Workers' Party secretary for international affairs, has departed Pyongyang to visit China, Japan's Kyodo News reported on the 3rd, citing diplomatic sources.
Kyodo News reported that Secretary Kim departed Pyongyang leading a delegation of the Workers' Party of Korea to visit China and is believed to have already arrived in Beijing.
Regarding the purpose of Secretary Kim's visit, the news agency presumed that it is aimed at seeking to strengthen relations with the Chinese Communist Party.
As China has recently concluded a plenary session of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee (the 5th Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee), the possibility has also been raised that the North Korean and Chinese sides will exchange views on the meeting's results and policy directions.
The Chinese Communist Party held the 5th Plenary Session of its 20th Central Committee in Beijing from October 26 to 29, adopting major resolutions to continuously advance "comprehensive strict governance of the Party." It reaffirmed its stance to consolidate the authority and leadership of the Party Central Committee with President Xi Jinping at the core through establishing internal discipline, strengthening organizational control, and eradicating corruption.
This has also led to interpretations that the move focused on solidifying internal unity and governance foundations ahead of the 21st Party Congress, which will virtually decide whether President Xi seeks a fourth consecutive term next year.
Secretary Kim's current visit to China is evaluated as an extension of the trend toward high-level exchanges and strengthened friendly relations between the two countries, given that it comes 10 days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a surprise visit to Dandong, China, on October 24.
At the time, Chairman Kim met with Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and China's No. 4 official, and toured the Memorial Hall of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea and a local bus factory in Dandong together, signaling their commitment to political and economic cooperation between North Korea and China.
Secretary Kim previously visited China in December of last year and March 2024 to meet with Wang Yi, director of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Foreign Affairs Commission Office and Chinese Foreign Minister, and was confirmed to have accompanied Chairman Kim on his recent visit to Dandong.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.