N. Korean leader on trip to China for talks with Xi: state media

By Lim Chang-won Posted : January 8, 2019, 09:08 Updated : January 8, 2019, 09:08

[KCNA/Yonhap Photo]


SEOUL -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is on a four-day trip to China for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, state media reported Tuesday. It was Kim's fourth trip to China in less than a year. He has visited China ahead of his summits with U.S. and South Korean leaders.

Kim, accompanied by his wife and senior North Korean officials, will stay in China until Thursday, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said after a train apparently carrying North Korean officials was spotted crossing into the Chinese border city of Dandong Monday night.

North Korea's state media reported that Kim had used his special train for his trip, which came after the leader said in his New Year message that he was ready to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump for their second summit at any time.

Kim has also expressed his will to achieve denuclearization through fresh talks with Trump, but he warned that he would find a new way if Washington misjudges his patience and clings to sanctions without reciprocating a series of proactive steps for denuclearization.

On Sunday, Trump said the location for his second summit with Kim would probably be announced in the "not-too-distant future." The two leaders have exchanged letters since they held a historic Singapore summit in June last year and agreed to "work toward" complete denuclearization in exchange for security guarantees.
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