[Anchor]
Wang Yi, China's top diplomat, will make an unexpected visit to North Korea tomorrow (the 9th). It will be his first trip there in six years and seven months.
The visit has drawn particular attention because Beijing and Pyongyang have been moving to restore ties, and it comes ahead of next month's U.S.-China summit.
This is Park Su-ju reporting.
[Reporter]
North Korea's state news agency, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), reported that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit North Korea for two days beginning on the 9th.
The visit follows an invitation from North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and marks Wang's first trip to the country since September 2019 — a gap of six years and seven months.
China's Foreign Ministry described the visit as an important step to implement the shared understandings of the two countries' top leaders and to advance bilateral relations.
Wang is expected to meet with Choe Son Hui, North Korea's foreign minister, and to pay a courtesy call on Kim Jong Un, chairman of the State Affairs Commission.
Since the summit last September, Beijing and Pyongyang have taken steps to restore ties, including resuming passenger train and flight services between Pyongyang and Beijing for the first time in six years.
Against that backdrop, observers say the visit is likely to include discussions on expanding economic cooperation.
Because the trip comes ahead of next month's U.S.-China summit, analysts also expect Beijing and Pyongyang to hold strategic consultations on recent developments — including the situation in Iran and issues on the Korean Peninsula.
They may coordinate positions on Korean Peninsula matters expected to appear on the U.S.-China summit agenda.
\"The fact that this channel is operating via diplomatic, rather than party-to-party, lines suggests the discussions involve not only bilateral China–North Korea issues but also broader Northeast Asian dynamics involving South Korea and the United States,\" said Lee Sang-sook, a professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy.
Observers also expect China to probe and manage North Korea's position on potential talks with the United States in the run-up to the summit.
In this context, analysts give weight to the possibility that talks could include exchanges between the Chinese and North Korean leaders, including a potential visit to China by Kim Jong Un.
The South Korean government said it is maintaining close communication with China on Korean Peninsula issues and hopes exchanges between North Korea and China will contribute to easing tensions and achieving peace on the peninsula.
This is Park Su-ju of Yonhap News TV.
[Video editing: Kang Tae-im]
[Graphics: Lee Jung-tae]
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Park Su-ju (sooju@yna.co.kr)
