China Promises 30 Billion Won Worth of Aid to North Korea

Kim Yong Nam, North Korea’s chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People`s Assembly, met with Chinese president Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao on October 19 during his two-day visit to China to discuss topics pertaining to the North Korean nuclear controversy and ways to strengthen economic ties between the two nations.

During Tuesday’s meeting with President Hu, Chairman Kim delivered the message that he would find ways to reinitiate the six-party talks and find a peaceful solution to the North Korean nuclear controversy. He also asked for China’s support and understanding for North Korea’s “Simultaneous Compensation for the Freezing of Nukes” principle.

President Hu restated the fact that the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula must be done through talks and asked for North Korea to return to the six-party talks as soon as possible, delivering the increasing concern of the international community over the delay of the six-party talks.

Chairman Kim then met with Premier Wen, asking for Chinese support for the revolutionary opening of North Korea. It is reported that Premier Wen responded by giving his consent to providing North Korea with grant aid.

The aid package that China has promised North Korea was similar to what North Korean leader Kim Jong Il asked for on October 4 during the North Korean leader’s visit to Beijing. The package will include petroleum, food, construction materials, and various other supplies worth approximately 200 million yuan (approximately 30 billion won).

On the other hand, during chairman of the National People`s Congress Wu Bangguo’s meeting with Chairman Kim Yong Nam on October 18, Chairman Wu offered his four principles of China/North Korean relations. The four principles include that China and North Korea should respect either country and cooperate under the five principles of mutual peace, reciprocally exchange timely opinions of each nation’s high-ranking officials, find ways to mutually cooperate and develop each nation, and cooperate together to resolve international and regional conflicts to insure peaceful, secure, and friendly diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Yoo-Seong Hwang yshwang@donga.com