N. Korean leader begins China trip

By Kim Young-jin

Staff Reporter

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il arrived in the Chinese port city of Dalian after crossing into the country by train early Monday.

Shortly after the North Korean train arrived in Dalian, a convoy of 15 limousines was seen arriving at a hotel in the city, Yonhap News reported.

Traffic in the area was halted for almost an hour until the convoy arrived, the report said.

This is Kim's first trip in four years to China, his country's last remaining major ally, and his first trip abroad since reportedly suffering a stroke in 2008.

The 17-car armored train carrying Kim arrived at the Chinese border town of Dandong at around 5:20 a.m. Security was heavy ahead of its arrival, with police officers surrounding the station and blocking off traffic in the area.

Kim is making the stop in Dalian, as some analysts say it may be connected to Pyongyang's plan to develop its own port, Rajin.

Rumors of such a trip have been spreading for months.

Speculation peaked in early April, when experts predicted he would meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao and leverage a return to the six-party talks on the North's denuclearization in return for economic aid.

Prospects for the resumption of the talks were thrown into limbo by suspicions the North was behind the March 26 sinking of the South Korean Navy ship Cheonan, which went down near the highly-contested maritime border between the two Koreas.

Seoul has said a close-range torpedo explosion was the likely cause of the sinking, causing speculation of North Korean culpability. The North has denied any involvement in the incident.

If the findings of an ongoing multi-national investigation point to Pyongyang, Seoul's Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan has said the issue could be taken before the U.N. Security Council.

Such a move could lead to further sanctions for the struggling state - but only if China, a permanent member of the council and the North's biggest economic backer, were to agree to the measure.

Pyongyang is already reeling from the tightened sanctions it incurred after its missile and nuclear tests last year. Beijing, meanwhile, is said to be wary of imposing further sanctions as increased instability within the North could lead to an exodus of refugees heading to China.

The impoverished state has refused to return to the negotiations until the sanctions are lifted and involved parties agree to discuss a peace treaty to end the Korean War.

The nuclear talks are hosted by China, and include South Korea, the United States, Japan and Russia.

Officials here are also keeping an eye out to determine whether Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader's youngest son and the regime's heir-apparent, has made the trip as well. This scenario would likely confirm his status as successor.

김정일 방중, ‘다롄’ 주목

북한의 김정일 국방위원장이 열차 편으로 중국 항구 도시 다롄에 3일 오전 도착한 것으로 파악된다. 기차가 다롄에 도착한 후 15대의 리무진 행렬이 다롄 지역의 한 호텔에 도착하는 것이 목격됐다고 연합뉴스가 보도했다.

보도에 따르면 이 지역 내 교통은 한 시간 가까이 정체를 보였다. 이 사실이 확인되면 김 위원장은 2008년도 뇌졸중 이후 북한의 마지막 동맹국인 중국을 4년 만에 방문하는 것이다.

김 위원장이 다롄에 머무를지는 아직 확인되지 않았지만, 북한 전문가들은 다롄을 선택한 것은 북한 라진항 건설 계획과 관련이 있을 것으로 보고 있다.

한편, 그가 베이징에서 후진타오 주석 등 중국 수뇌부를 만나 6자회담 복귀 문제와 천안함 사태를 논의할 것으로 예상된다.