North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reportedly visiting Beijing

Photos showing both the North Korean train and a police escort for a high-ranking North Korean delegation through the streets of Beijing appeared on the Chinese social network service Weibo on Mar. 26.

Beijing is attempting to retain influence in Korean Peninsula affairs in advance of spring summits

With an inter-Korean summit scheduled for April and a North Korea-US summit scheduled for May, there are indications of high-ranking officials from North Korea and China exchanging visits between the two countries.

“There is evidence of visits by high-ranking officials from North Korea and China. However, we haven’t confirmed whether this is North Korean officials visiting China or Chinese officials visiting North Korea,” said one expert who is familiar with affairs on the Korean Peninsula on Mar. 26.

“Given the rapid developments on the Korean Peninsula, including the upcoming inter-Korean and North Korea-US summits, China appears to be taking steps to sustain and secure influence over Korean Peninsula affairs,” the expert added.

Photos showing both the North Korean train and a police escort for a high-ranking North Korean delegation through the streets of Beijing appeared on the Chinese social network service Weibo on Mar. 26.

Kyodo News and other foreign news outlets have been reporting that a high-ranking North Korean official appears to have visited China, but the source said, “It hasn’t been confirmed who is visiting or where they’re coming from. However, there does appear to be some major movement between North Korea and China.”

“Some time ago, a large barrier was set up around Dandong Station, and the area around the station has been on lockdown since Mar. 25,” said sources located in the Chinese city of Dandong, located on the border with North Korea in Liaoning Province.

“Security was tightened around Dandong Station around 9 pm on Mar. 25, and some people were talking about the possibility of a VIP coming through,” one source said.

Reportedly both North Korea and China stepped up security in Dandong on Mar. 25. There were also reports that a substantial number of trains passing through China’s northeastern provinces were delayed on Mar. 26.

Though there has been speculation that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was visiting China, this source said that “There are indications of movement by a senior official from either North Korea or China, but that does not appear to be Kim Jong-un.”

Earlier on Mar. 26, Kyodo News reported that there was tight security around the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse and the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where the Chinese leadership meets foreign dignitaries, and that the security situation suggested that this might be because of a visit by one of North Korea’s top officials. Kyodo News added that the details of the visit were not clear, including whether that person was North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

When Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying was asked during the regular press briefing on Mar. 26 whether a major North Korean official had visited China, she said she knew nothing about the matter.

Photos showing both the North Korean train and a police escort for a high-ranking North Korean delegation through the streets of Beijing appeared on the Chinese social network service Weibo on Mar. 26.

By Kim Oi-hyun, Beijing correspondent and Cho Ki-weon, Tokyo correspondent

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