Deportation of Kim Jong-nam: Japan and China`s Intention

The case of Kim Jong-nam, who is believed to be the eldest son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, was handled with lightening speed. The predominant view is that Japan and China discussed together how to deal with Kim`s case.

The Japanese government`s decision to deport Kim can be interpreted as reconciliatory gesture toward North Korea since the Japanese government could have prosecuted him. Instead, the Japanese government decided to deport Kim, which entails less diplomatic conflict.

It was said that the Japanese government originally planned to hand him over to North Korea directly. However, when the press released the news, the Japanese government opted for `quick deportation` instead. If Japan had detained him for a longer time, it would have only aggravated bilateral ties with North Korea.

The Japanese government`s effort not to officially reveal his identity is understood as a considerate gesture because the case may embarrass North Korea if the alleged man is revealed to be the son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il.

The Japanese government seems to hope to reestablish diplomatic normalization that has been stalled since last October and to resolve an issue of alleged Japanese abductees. However, it is still in question how North Korea will respond. One also speculates that the Japanese government intentionally leaked the story to the press.

The Japanese government made a thoughtful gesture for North Korea. If Kim Jong-nam had been deported to someplace else, his identity would have been revealed, hence damaging North Korea`s international image. Therefore, it is possible to analyze that China, self-claimed guardian of North Korea, intentionally got involved in solving this issue for North Korea.

At the same time, by accepting Kim and his traveling companies the Chinese government vicariously had revealed him as `the real Kim Jong-nam`. It is a great opportunity for the Chinese government to disclose Kim Jong-nam to the Western world by letting him go through Beijing where flight lines, as well as railroad lines, are connected to Pyongyang. By extending a `helping hand`, the Chinese government sought to make sure its monopolistic power.

It is also possible to speculate that the Chinese government sought to press the Japanese government to improve the bilateral relationship between China and Japan, which has been aggravated by the issue of Japanese history book and the visitation made by the former Taiwanese Premier to Japan.

Shim Kyu-Sun ksshim@donga.com