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US Welcomes North Korean Leader's Visit to China
The United States on Thursday welcomed news that North Korea's leader Kim Jong-il had made a secret visit to China, saying anything that helped bring the nation out of isolation was a good development.
"Like our South Korean allies, we welcome this development," Sandy Berger, national security adviser to President Bill Clinton, told reporters, noting it was the first visit to China by a North Korean leader in over a decade.
"Anything that brings North Korea out of isolation and into contact with other nations is a good development," he said.
Berger said the United States looked forward to the June 12-14 summit in Pyongyang between the North's Kim and South Korean President Kim Dae-jung.
"I think that is a truly historic meeting and as part of that you're seeing some of this other diplomatic activity taking place." he said.
The 1950-53 Korean War, in which China backed the North and United Nations forces led by the United States helped the South, ended in an armed truce. No formal peace pact has ever been signed.
South Korea's envoy to China confirmed on Thursday that the North Korean leader paid a three-day visit to Beijing this week and met Chinese President Jiang Zemin.
The official said Kim took a special train to China on Monday and met Jiang that afternoon. The next day he met other senior leaders, including Premier Zhu Rongji and returned to the North on Wednesday.
China is North Korea's closest ally and has been prodding Pyongyang to make peace with Seoul.
North Korea's recent efforts to throw off its Cold War isolationism, or some of it, have included not only the planned Koreas summit, but the establishment this year of diplomatic ties with Italy and Australia.
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