Senior N. Korean official arrives in Beijing for talks with China

Meanwhile another senior North Korean official has arrived in Beijing for talks with China.
Some reports say North Korea will seek to negotiate over China's ban on North Korean
coal imports, while others say the meeting is about the killing of Kim Jong-nam.
Oh Jung-hee has this report.
A senior North Korean official is in Beijing... for talks with the Chinese government.
China's foreign ministry said that North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Ri Kil-song arrived
at around noon on Tuesday at Beijing's invitation.
Ri will stay through Saturday... to meet with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vice
Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin... for discussions on "areas of common interest and international
issues."
In Seoul, the South Korean foreign ministry said that it will keep tabs on the meeting.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Cho June-hyuck said that South Korea expects North Korea-China
relations will develop in a way that contributes to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,
North Korea's denuclearization and an end to the North's terrorist acts.
Most speculate that Beijing and Pyongyang are seeking to improve their relations.
Things between the two have been tense for months,... following North Korea's intermediate-range
ballistic missile launch, China's North Korean coal import ban... and the North's apparent
murder of its leader's half brother Kim Jong-nam.
Diplomatic sources in Beijing reportedly believe North Korea could be seeking to negotiate
with China on the coal import ban.
China stopped importing North Korean coal... starting on February 19th, and plans to keep
the ban in place until the end of the year... in accordance with the latest UN resolution
adopted last year.
Coal is the regime's main source of income... taking up 40-percent of its total exports.
Others have said that North Korea may be seeking China's help with the Kim Jong-nam murder,
which took place at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
The Malaysian authorities have not yet confirmed the man's identity and are demanding a DNA
match.
However, many people believe Beijing may have the key,... because Kim Jong-nam's family
is suspected to be living in China under some form of government protection... and could
potentially help bring about an identification of the body.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.

Senior N. Korean official arrives in Beijing for talks with China

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