N. Korea reports leader Kim's surprise visit to China

SEOUL, Oct. 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Sunday confirmed leader Kim Jong-un's surprise visit to China the previous day, a trip that highlights renewed efforts by Pyongyang and Beijing to strengthen bilateral ties. On Saturday, South Korean government sources said Kim had visited the Chinese border city of Dandong, where he met with Wang Huning, China's fourth-highest-ranking official and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. According to the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Sunday, Kim visited Dandong the previous day, where he paid tribute at a war memorial to Chinese soldiers who fought in the 1950-53 Korean War. Kim said North Korea would continue to uphold the two countries' "invincible friendship forged in blood," KCNA reported. Kim also attended a banquet hosted by Wang at the direction of Chinese President Xi Jinping and visited a bus factory in Dandong before returning home via the newly-opened bridge over the Amnok River, also known as Yalu River, KCNA said. Saturday's visit marked Kim's first known trip to China since September 2025, when he traveled to Beijing to attend events marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and held talks with Xi. It was his sixth visit to China since he took power in 2011. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un addresses a ceremony at Kim Il Sung University in Pyongyang on Sept. 30, 2026, to celebrate the North's top university's 80th founding anniversary, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency the next day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) The latest trip comes as Pyongyang seeks to reinforce ties with Beijing after years of prioritizing cooperation with Russia, including military cooperation amid Moscow's war against Ukraine. China remains North Korea's most important economic partner and a key diplomatic ally. The two countries have stepped up high-level exchanges, including Xi's visit to Pyongyang in June 2026, when the two leaders pledged to expand cooperation in political, economic and other fields. The visit also followed the opening of the New Amnok River Bridge, or the New Yalu River Bridge, linking North Korea's border city of Sinuiju with China's Dandong earlier this month. The two sides have said the bridge is expected to facilitate cross-border trade and broader bilateral economic cooperation. This photo, captured from the website of North Korea's State Stamp Bureau on July 7, 2026, shows a stamp featuring a summit between the North's leader Kim Jong-un (R) and Chinese President Xi Jinping in June. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) graceoh@yna.co.kr(END) Articles with issue keywords