Reports noted that during North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il’s recent visit to China from May 20 to May 26, 2011, he assured the Chinese leaders that the North was keen not only to improve its bilateral relations with South Korea but also to resume early the Six Party Talks on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.1 Kim apparently held summit talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and discussed primarily issues like boosting of economic cooperation and resoling deadlock over Pyongyang’s denuclearization. However, not much detail on the summit talks have been revealed so far by both sides.2 Earlier, during his visit to Japan, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao indicated to his South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-bak that Beijing invited Kim to visit China in order to offer him “the opportunity to understand China’s development and use it for his country.”3

• 1. “Kim Jong Il promises Beijing he’ll be on his best behavior”, Asahi Shimbun, May 28, 2011, at http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201105270375.html
• 2. “Kim, Hu discuss widening economic cooperation”, Korea Herald, May 25, 2011, at http://www.koreaherald.com/national/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20110525000707
• 3. “Wen: China invited Kim Jong Il to press for reform”, Asahi Shimbun, May 23, 2011, at http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201105230128.html