Shenyang, China — Daily NK sources in China report that at around 5:20 A.M. (local time) on May 2nd, a North Korean train with 17 passenger cars stopped at Dandong Station. There is high likelihood that the train was carrying Kim Jong Il.
Sources report that in the vicinity of the station and around the North Korea-China Friendship Bridge there was a big presence of Chinese police and border guards, while North Korean soldiers were keeping watch beneath the bridge on the Chinese side.
After saying for around 30 minutes at the station, which had been sealed off since Sunday morning, the train headed for Dalian at 7 A.M. instead of to Shenyang, which is the route to Beijing. If it was running to schedule, the train would have arrived in Dalian at around 10 A.M.
Dalian is an important industrial city in Dongbei province; it is a big port city and fishing base with a burgeoning tech sector. Additionally, it is well known as tourist city for Japanese and South Koreans.
Therefore, if Dalian is Kim’s first destination, it is presumably in order to discuss and expedite agreements with China on developing Rajin Port.
Experts on North Korea interpret that Kim is likely also to want to use the trip to secure his relations with the Chinese in light of the Cheonan incident, which has made North Korea’s international isolation more severe.
Yoo Ho Yul, a professor at Korea University said, “Kim Jong Il will probably clarify the North’s position on the Cheonan incident and appeal for Chinese help to confront the situation. After that, they may well discuss the resumption of the Six-Party Talks and economic aid.”
