Two aides to Kim Jong Un secretly visited Beijing in July - Kyodo
Photo: Kim Jong Un (Getty Images)
Two aides to North Korean President Kim Jong Un traveled to Beijing in July, with the visits reportedly linked to construction projects, according to Kyodo.
According to the outlet, the aides’ visits to China were not reported in North Korea’s state media, an unusual move, as these officials often accompany Kim Jong Un during inspections of construction projects in the country.
Kyodo notes that the trips suggest economic ties between Beijing and Pyongyang are gradually normalizing, despite speculation that relations could have been strained by North Korea’s deepening military cooperation with Russia.
China remains North Korea’s closest and most influential economic partner, though high-level visits have been relatively rare in recent years. Even before Kim sent troops to aid Russia’s war against Ukraine, there were signs that Beijing was unhappy with Pyongyang’s closer ties to Moscow.
Sources told Kyodo that the visiting aides were Kim Bok Nam, a senior military officer and brigade commander, and an unnamed high-ranking official from the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea. They stayed in the Chinese capital for four days, starting July 12. Their detailed itinerary remains unknown.
North Korea's support for Russia
Earlier, Ukrainian Defense Intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said that North Korea supplies Russia with nearly half of its ammunition, noting the country’s vast stockpiles and daily weapons production.
Meanwhile, Kim Jong Un, during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Pyongyang, said his country is ready to support Moscow’s efforts to "eliminate the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis."
