North Korea Leadership Watch

Research and Analysis on the DPRK Leadership

KJI Meets with PRC Delegation

 

Kim Jong Il greeting Zhou Yongkang, chief of the PRC's Central Political and Legislative Committee at a luncheon hosted during Zhou's trip to the DPRK (Photo: CCTV)

 

Kim Jong Il met with and hosted a lunch party for PRC senior party official, Zhou Yongkang, and a PRC delegation.  Zhou arrived in Pyongyang late last week with his delegation, to attend events for the 65th anniversary of the KWP’s foundation.  Zhou attended (with KJI) a mass games performance on Saturday and the military parade on Sunday.  KCNA:

Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, on Monday received a delegation of the Communist Party of China led by Zhou Yongkang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and secretary of the Central Commission of Politics and Law of the CPC, on a visit to the DPRK.
Present there were Kim Yong Il and Kim Yang Gon, alternate members of the Political Bureau and secretaries of the Central Committee of the WPK.

On behalf of the collective leadership of the CPC including General Secretary Hu Jintao, Zhou Yongkang once again warmly congratulated Kim Jong Il on the successful holding of the WPK conference and on his reelection as general secretary of the WPK and on its 65th birthday. Then he presented Kim Jong Il with a gift prepared by the delegation.

In reports about Zhou’s trip to the DPRK, the new Chief Secretary for the Jagang KWP Provincial Committee, Ju Yong Sik, was also announced.  Ju Yong Sik replaces Pak To Chun who was appointed a CC KWP Secretary and Alternate Member of the CC KWP Political Bureau during the 3rd Party Conference in September.

It was seen off at the airport by Kim Ki Nam and Choe Thae Bok, members of Political Bureau and secretaries of the Central Committee of the WPK, Kim Yong Il, alternate member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the C.C., the WPK, and Ju Yong Sik, chief secretary of the Jagang Provincial Committee of the WPK, Kim Song Nam, vice department director of the C.C, the WPK, Kim Song Gi, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, and Ku Pon Thae, vice-minister of Foreign Trade.

Zhou’s trip to the DPRK seems to have been immediately followed by one made by Senior Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kim Kye Gwan.  Kim departed Pyongyang for Beijing where is expected to have several meetings with PRC counter-parts over the DPRK’s participation in the Six Party Talks.

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