By Yi Whan-woo
North Korea's cancellation of scheduled performances in Beijing of the all-girl Moranbong Band has prompted concerns that Pyongyang's untested leader is also likely to handle regional security issues in an impulsive manner, analysts said Wednesday.
They also speculated that the incident may make Beijing hesitate to improve relations with Pyongyang because public sentiment about North Korea and its leader Kim Jong-un is worsening in China.
Some observers said that the incident could chill relations between the neighboring nations, in a similar way to when Seoul suspended all inter-Korean cooperation programs following the shooting death of a South Korean female tourist at the Mount Geumgang resort in 2008.
"The incident in Beijing shows that Kim is capable of pressing a nuclear button once he gets it in his hand," said An Chan-il, head of the World Institute for North Korea Studies.
"At the same time, the incident was another slap in the face for Chinese President Xi Jinping following one in 2013 when North Korea carried out a third nuclear test.
"It's likely that China will put pressure on North Korea for the time being."
Kim Heung-kwang, the chief of North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity, agreed.
"We've already witnessed that Kim is hot-tempered, immature and reckless in dealing with domestic affairs as well as inter-Korean and Sino-North Korean issues, he said.
"And the diplomatic gaffe involving the Moranbong Band adds to international concerns that he is dangerous and is willing to use military provocations in an unpredictable manner."
"I'm sure China has learned about Kim's true character this time."
An speculated that North Korea is preparing for a fourth nuclear test on the occasion of the seventh congress of its Workers' Party next year.
He also said the military regime may have postponed the congress slated for May 2015 to be fully ready for the U.N.-proscribed test.
Citing its authoritarian ruler, Pyongyang's state-controlled Korean Central News Agency reported Wednesday that the congress will be instead held on Oct. 10, 2015.
The congress, which is massive in terms of scale, will be held for the first time since 1980. It will be part of Kim's efforts to bolster internal solidarity in the country after succeeding his later father Kim Jong-il in December 2011.
"I believe Pyongyang will put off the meeting to earn time and successfully carry out its fourth nuclear test by then," An said. "It's also likely that the military regime will display new weapons of mass destruction, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and a hydrogen bomb."
Diplomatic sources said Xi and other top-ranked Chinese officials were upset when the Morangbong Band called off their concert at the last minute.
The group was scheduled to perform in China for three consecutive days starting Saturday as part of a goodwill tour amid a thaw in strained political ties between Pyongyang and Beijing since October.
Some 2,000 officials from both Cold War allies were set to attend the invitation-only concerts at the National Center for the Performing Arts. They included senior members of the Chinese Communist Party's Standing Committee of the Political Bureau.
It still remains uncertain, for sure, why the performances were called off.
Some sources said Kim Jong-un ordered the concerts to be canceled for diplomatic reasons concerning Pyongyang's disputed hydrogen bomb.
Others claimed that the band members, who were reputedly handpicked by Kim, regarded it as a snub when Chinese authorities asked the group not to sing songs praising their 32-year-old ruler.
North Korea's cancellation of scheduled performances in Beijing of the all-girl Moranbong Band has prompted concerns that Pyongyang's untested leader is also likely to handle regional security issues in an impulsive manner, analysts said Wednesday.
They also speculated that the incident may make Beijing hesitate to improve relations with Pyongyang because public sentiment about North Korea and its leader Kim Jong-un is worsening in China.
Some observers said that the incident could chill relations between the neighboring nations, in a similar way to when Seoul suspended all inter-Korean cooperation programs following the shooting death of a South Korean female tourist at the Mount Geumgang resort in 2008.
"The incident in Beijing shows that Kim is capable of pressing a nuclear button once he gets it in his hand," said An Chan-il, head of the World Institute for North Korea Studies.
"At the same time, the incident was another slap in the face for Chinese President Xi Jinping following one in 2013 when North Korea carried out a third nuclear test.
"It's likely that China will put pressure on North Korea for the time being."
Kim Heung-kwang, the chief of North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity, agreed.
"We've already witnessed that Kim is hot-tempered, immature and reckless in dealing with domestic affairs as well as inter-Korean and Sino-North Korean issues, he said.
"And the diplomatic gaffe involving the Moranbong Band adds to international concerns that he is dangerous and is willing to use military provocations in an unpredictable manner."
"I'm sure China has learned about Kim's true character this time."
An speculated that North Korea is preparing for a fourth nuclear test on the occasion of the seventh congress of its Workers' Party next year.
He also said the military regime may have postponed the congress slated for May 2015 to be fully ready for the U.N.-proscribed test.
Citing its authoritarian ruler, Pyongyang's state-controlled Korean Central News Agency reported Wednesday that the congress will be instead held on Oct. 10, 2015.
The congress, which is massive in terms of scale, will be held for the first time since 1980. It will be part of Kim's efforts to bolster internal solidarity in the country after succeeding his later father Kim Jong-il in December 2011.
"I believe Pyongyang will put off the meeting to earn time and successfully carry out its fourth nuclear test by then," An said. "It's also likely that the military regime will display new weapons of mass destruction, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and a hydrogen bomb."
Diplomatic sources said Xi and other top-ranked Chinese officials were upset when the Morangbong Band called off their concert at the last minute.
The group was scheduled to perform in China for three consecutive days starting Saturday as part of a goodwill tour amid a thaw in strained political ties between Pyongyang and Beijing since October.
Some 2,000 officials from both Cold War allies were set to attend the invitation-only concerts at the National Center for the Performing Arts. They included senior members of the Chinese Communist Party's Standing Committee of the Political Bureau.
It still remains uncertain, for sure, why the performances were called off.
Some sources said Kim Jong-un ordered the concerts to be canceled for diplomatic reasons concerning Pyongyang's disputed hydrogen bomb.
Others claimed that the band members, who were reputedly handpicked by Kim, regarded it as a snub when Chinese authorities asked the group not to sing songs praising their 32-year-old ruler.
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