China’s VIP security raises speculation of Kim Jong Un visit

Speculation about a visit to Beijing by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un or another high-level Pyongyang official was running high Tuesday amid talk of preparations for a North Korea-U.S. meeting.

North Korea’s senior leadership, who must be Kim Jong Un or his sister Kim Jong Un, has wrapped up an unprecedented whirlwind trip to the Chinese capital Monday while receiving Chinese authorities’ tight levels of security. The senior leadership reportedly visited Zhongguancun in Beijing, which is known as "China's Silicon Valley" and the favored venue of Kim’s father, Kim Jong Il, during his visits to Beijing.

The roads around the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, where the North Korean leadership stayed, were closed amid a spate of road closures and tight security measures. A large security presence remained until Tuesday morning when the distinctive green train carrying the North Korean leadership set off on its return journey to Pyongyang.

Along with a cordon a couple of hundred meters away, a convoy of vehicles accompanied by an escort of police on motorbikes left the compound at around 9.30 a.m. on Tuesday. Residents living near one of the most heavily guarded buildings in Beijing reported unusually tight levels of security, and locals and foreign tourists complained about a spate of unexpected road closures.

There are rumors claiming that from 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the motorcade was once again spotted on the streets of Beijing passing by Tiananmen Square apparently en route to the railway station where the train that arrived on Monday night was waiting.


Wan-Jun Yun zeitung@donga.com · Dong-Yeon Jung call@donga.com