NKs No. 2 Leader Visits Europe in March

North Korea's No. 2 leader made a secret trip to three European countries in March, but the purpose of his visit was not yet known, Yonhap News Agency reported Sunday, quoting sources familiar with North Korea affairs.

Jang Song-taek, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's brother-in-law, visited France, Italy and Switzerland from early to mid-March, the sources said, without elaborating on the purpose.

They, however, presumed that Jang may have met with doctors who treated Kim's suspected stroke in August last year.

"His visits show that Kim's health has improved much, considering Jang took his place since he suffered a stroke," one of the sources was quoted as saying.

Jang was Friday appointed as a member of North Korea's National Defense Commission (NDC), the country's powerful military board, at the first meeting of the 12th Supreme People's Assembly, the North's parliament.

In the January-March period, he accompanied Kim to the latter's inspections of military units and industrial plants 19 times.