No Hard Feelings, North Tells China

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No Hard Feelings, North Tells China

North Korea's national defense commission chairman, Kim Jong-il, attended a feast held Sunday evening at the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party.

The state-run Korean Central Broadcasting reported Monday that Mr. Kim had been invited by the Chinese ambassador in Pyongyang, Wang Guozhang. "Chairman Kim, who was passionately welcomed with bouquets from embassy employees, expressed gratitude and held warm and friendly talks with embassy officials," the media reported.

High-ranking party, government and military officials, including Kim Yong-chun, chief of the general staff of the People's Army, and Ri Yong-mu, Vice-chairman of the National Defense Commission, accompanied Chairman Kim.

President Jiang Zemin visited the North Korean Embassy in Beijing on the 55th anniversary of the North's Workers' Party in October last year, according to a government official.

South Korean government officials and analysts said Chairman Kim had made the visit with the objective of strengthening the amicable relations between Pyongyang and Beijing.

Recalling that Mr. Kim had visited the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang in March 2000 to prepare for Mr. Jiang's state visit to Pyongyang three months later, Lee Jong-seok, director of the inter-Korean relations studies program at the Sejong Institute, said that the objective of the Sunday event "lies in setting the stage for President Jiang's visit to the North" expected in the fall.

"North Korea is expecting President Jiang to bring a big present to the North," said Chung Chong-wook, professor at Ajou University. "By strategically visiting the embassy, Chairman Kim is expressing the wish that such expectations be met."

Mr. Chung concluded that ties be-tween Beijing and Pyongyang are close enough not to be affected by the safe passage to Singapore granted by the Chinese government on "health" grounds to seven North Korean defectors last week.



by Ahn Sung-kyoo

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