Xi Jinping Concludes North Korea Visit; Summit Footage Released

[Anchor]

Chinese President Xi Jinping, who made a state visit to North Korea for the first time in seven years, has concluded his trip after visiting the China-North Korea Friendship Tower in Pyongyang with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and sharing a luncheon.

Han Sang-woo reports from Beijing.

[Reporter]

Chinese President Xi Jinping departed for home today (June 9), the second day of his visit, following a luncheon with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Prior to the luncheon, President Xi and Chairman Kim visited the China-North Korea Friendship Tower, a symbol of bilateral ties.

For both North Korea and China, the site serves as a symbol of their so-called "blood alliance," forged while fighting together against the United States.

During a welcoming banquet held at the Mokran House in Pyongyang yesterday evening, the two leaders exchanged friendly messages, signaling an upgrade in North Korea-China relations.

[Korean Central Television: (President Xi Jinping) expressed his willingness to develop China-North Korea relations to a higher level and open up a more beautiful future for the socialist cause of both countries, while (Chairman Kim Jong-un) expressed his intent to develop North Korea-China relations into a model of the most powerful and strategic relations between socialist states.]

Korean Central Television released footage of yesterday's summit today, just one day later, and the Rodong Sinmun newspaper also reported extensively on the summit, adding four extra pages to its usual edition.

North Korea announced that international and regional issues were discussed at yesterday's summit and that they reached a satisfactory consensus.

[Korean Central Television: ...to strengthen strategic coordination and cooperation, and to firmly safeguard the sovereignty, security, and development interests of both countries....]

Unlike seven years ago, there has been no mention of North Korea's denuclearization.

With North Korea claiming that possessing nuclear weapons is a matter of sovereignty, some interpret the public support for sovereignty and security as a message that effectively condones North Korea's nuclear program.

Just before President Xi's visit, North Korea unveiled a new uranium enrichment facility, and Kim Yo-jong had previously drawn a line, stating that denuclearization was not up for discussion.

Chairman Kim Jong-un responded by stating that he fully supports the position of the Chinese Communist Party and government based on the "One China" principle, which China considers its core interest.

(Video reporting: Choi Deok-hyun, Video editing: Chae Cheol-ho)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.