What is Kim Jong-un's ulterior motive for his one-day visit to China? Highlighting 'War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea' as a variable for next month's North Korea-US summit

[Financial News] North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un, who had been the subject of rumors regarding his health, visited Dandong, Liaoning Province, China, for a one-day trip—his first in about a year and a month—and returned home swiftly. Chairman Kim’s visit to China was a one-day trip conducted via the New Yalu River Bridge, which opened on the 15th. This marks the first time Chairman Kim has visited China by vehicle rather than by private train.
According to the Ministry of Unification and other sources on the 25th, Chairman Kim’s visit to China focused on visiting the Memorial Hall for the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea via the New Yalu River Bridge, a symbol of new North Korea-China economic cooperation. This marks the first time Chairman Kim has personally visited the Memorial Hall, a symbol of anti-Americanism, since assuming power.
The Chinese military designates October 25, the day of its first victory in the Korean War, as the Day of Resisting America and Aiding Korea.
Chairman Kim laid a wreath at the Monument to the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea and said, "We will forever remember the glorious years we fought alongside the Chinese people," adding, "We will pass down our eternal gratitude to the Chinese people who helped our revolution with their blood from generation to generation." He highlighted the history of China fighting alongside North Korea against the United States.
This unexpected move by Chairman Kim has been interpreted as an indirect rejection of the summit scheduled for next month with U.S. President Donald Trump. President Trump has hoped to meet with Chairman Kim during his visit to China in mid-next month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen. However, Chairman Kim has avoided any mention of a North Korea-U.S. summit.
The Blue House and the Ministry of Unification stated yesterday regarding Chairman Kim’s visit to China, “We are closely monitoring related developments while keeping various possibilities in mind.” They are also analyzing the specific intentions and background of the visit based on collected intelligence and information. A South Korean government official assessed, “Preliminary discussions regarding the North Korea-U.S. summit have become difficult.”
However, there are also analyses that interpret this as a positive signal for the North Korea-U.S. summit. Yang Moo-jin, a distinguished professor at the University of North Korean Studies, expressed a different opinion, stating, "The presence of Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi showed the possibility of discussing the issue of North Korea-U.S. dialogue," and added, "Since President Wang Huning is President Xi Jinping's strategist and one of his closest aides, there is a sufficient possibility that the issue of North Korea-U.S. dialogue will be discussed."
North Korea appears likely to accelerate its evasion of future U.S.-led sanctions through the New Yalu River Bridge. By personally publicizing his one-day visit to China to the world, Chairman Kim also aimed to attract short-term Chinese tourists to North Korea.
The New Yalu River Bridge, a four-lane bridge with a total length of 3,026 meters connecting Dandong, the largest trading hub between North Korea and China, and Sinuiju in North Pyongan Province, was officially opened on the 15th.
This marks the first time Chairman Kim has visited China and returned without meeting President Xi. On the Chinese side, Wang Huning, the Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and ranked fourth in the power hierarchy, attended. This visit marks Chairman Kim's sixth since taking power, and comes one year and one month after his visit to Beijing last September to attend the Victory Day celebrations. To meet with President Xi, Chairman Kim had to extend his visit and travel to Beijing by private train.
President Xi is staying in Beijing ahead of the 5th Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, which is to be held from the 26th to the 29th. Realistically, it was not easy for President Xi to leave Beijing and travel directly to Dandong to meet Chairman Kim just two days before the fifth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee.
Nevertheless, there is also an assessment that Chairman Kim hastily proceeded with his visit to China to dismiss rumors of his death circulating in the international community. It also appears to be an attempt to divert international criticism regarding the North Korean landmine explosion south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). On the 22nd, about a month after the landmine accident, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a letter to the President of the UN Security Council and began coordinating with the international community.
North Korean media began reporting only a day after Chairman Kim’s visit to China had concluded. They did not report whether his eldest daughter, Kim Ju-ae, who has accompanied him to major events, was also present. They also reported that Chairman Kim visited the Dandong Bus Factory and returned home via the New Yalu River Bridge.

[email protected] Kim Kyung-soo Reporter