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| SEOUL, South Korea — The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, sent his first special envoy to China on Wednesday, amid signs that Mr. Kim’s government was trying to mend strained ties with Beijing and was also seeking breaches in the tightening ring of economic and diplomatic pressure over its nuclear weapons development. | SEOUL, South Korea — The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, sent his first special envoy to China on Wednesday, amid signs that Mr. Kim’s government was trying to mend strained ties with Beijing and was also seeking breaches in the tightening ring of economic and diplomatic pressure over its nuclear weapons development. |
| The envoy, Vice Marshal Choe Ryong-hae, who serves as director of the General Political Bureau of the North Korean People’s Army, met in Beijing with Wang Jiarui, the head of the International Department of the Chinese Communist Party, said Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency, in a report that gave no details of the talks. | The envoy, Vice Marshal Choe Ryong-hae, who serves as director of the General Political Bureau of the North Korean People’s Army, met in Beijing with Wang Jiarui, the head of the International Department of the Chinese Communist Party, said Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency, in a report that gave no details of the talks. |
| His trip is North Korea’s first serious dabbling in diplomacy after months of bellicose pronouncements, including threats to launch nuclear strikes at the United States and its allies. It also comes as Japanese officials set off fears of a policy discord with allies by signaling a willingness to open a greater dialogue, including possible summit talks, with North Korea. | His trip is North Korea’s first serious dabbling in diplomacy after months of bellicose pronouncements, including threats to launch nuclear strikes at the United States and its allies. It also comes as Japanese officials set off fears of a policy discord with allies by signaling a willingness to open a greater dialogue, including possible summit talks, with North Korea. |
| Mr. Choe, 63, is the first senior North Korean official to visit China since last August and the first to go there in the capacity as Mr. Kim’s special envoy. He is most likely the highest-profile envoy Mr. Kim could have chosen to visit China, having risen to the top military leadership under Mr. Kim as the young, relatively inexperienced North Korean leader has tried to consolidate his power at home while intensifying a standoff with Washington and its allies over his country’s nuclear and missile programs. | Mr. Choe, 63, is the first senior North Korean official to visit China since last August and the first to go there in the capacity as Mr. Kim’s special envoy. He is most likely the highest-profile envoy Mr. Kim could have chosen to visit China, having risen to the top military leadership under Mr. Kim as the young, relatively inexperienced North Korean leader has tried to consolidate his power at home while intensifying a standoff with Washington and its allies over his country’s nuclear and missile programs. |
| “The fact that Kim Jong-un sent a special envoy means that he has something quite urgent to discuss with China, and the fact that his special envoy was his top military officer suggests that China wants to talk about the North’s nuclear and missile programs,” said Cheong Seong-chang, a senior analyst at the Sejong Institute in South Korea. | “The fact that Kim Jong-un sent a special envoy means that he has something quite urgent to discuss with China, and the fact that his special envoy was his top military officer suggests that China wants to talk about the North’s nuclear and missile programs,” said Cheong Seong-chang, a senior analyst at the Sejong Institute in South Korea. |
| Mr. Choe’s trip provides Beijing with an opportunity to assess North Korea’s intentions ahead of President Xi Jinping’s planned summit talks with President Barack Obama in Washington in early June and with President Park Geun-hye of South Korea in Beijing late in June. Both Washington and Seoul have been pressing China to become more assertive in using its economic influence to help rein in North Korea’s nuclear weapons ambitions. | Mr. Choe’s trip provides Beijing with an opportunity to assess North Korea’s intentions ahead of President Xi Jinping’s planned summit talks with President Barack Obama in Washington in early June and with President Park Geun-hye of South Korea in Beijing late in June. Both Washington and Seoul have been pressing China to become more assertive in using its economic influence to help rein in North Korea’s nuclear weapons ambitions. |
| Commenting on Mr. Choe’s visit at a daily news briefing on Wednesday, Hong Lei, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, affirmed Beijing’s commitment to “maintaining the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula” and to reconvening six-nation talks aimed at “denuclearization of the peninsula” through “dialogue and consultation.” Those talks were last held in 2008. | Commenting on Mr. Choe’s visit at a daily news briefing on Wednesday, Hong Lei, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, affirmed Beijing’s commitment to “maintaining the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula” and to reconvening six-nation talks aimed at “denuclearization of the peninsula” through “dialogue and consultation.” Those talks were last held in 2008. |
| But “it’s wise not to have big expectations” about Mr. Choe’s talks with Chinese officials, said Choi Myeong-hae, who studies Chinese-North Korean relations at the Samsung Economic Research Institute in Seoul. | But “it’s wise not to have big expectations” about Mr. Choe’s talks with Chinese officials, said Choi Myeong-hae, who studies Chinese-North Korean relations at the Samsung Economic Research Institute in Seoul. |
| Mr. Choi said the new leadership in Beijing had recently shown signs of impatience with North Korea and made some “stylistic changes” in managing relations with North Korea, which raised hopes that Beijing was now more willing to work with Washington in squeezing Pyongyang over its nuclear weapons programs. But, he added, China has retained its “fundamental” strategic view of North Korea as an important buffer against the influence of the United States, Japan and South Korea. | Mr. Choi said the new leadership in Beijing had recently shown signs of impatience with North Korea and made some “stylistic changes” in managing relations with North Korea, which raised hopes that Beijing was now more willing to work with Washington in squeezing Pyongyang over its nuclear weapons programs. But, he added, China has retained its “fundamental” strategic view of North Korea as an important buffer against the influence of the United States, Japan and South Korea. |
| For its part, North Korea has recently declared that it would never give up its nuclear weapons. And Mr. Kim’s choice of a top military officer as his envoy highlighted his biggest bargaining chip in dealing with China: his regime’s potential for trying military adventurism and raising tensions in the region again. | For its part, North Korea has recently declared that it would never give up its nuclear weapons. And Mr. Kim’s choice of a top military officer as his envoy highlighted his biggest bargaining chip in dealing with China: his regime’s potential for trying military adventurism and raising tensions in the region again. |
| While citing the names of officials who saw Mr. Choe off on his trip to Beijing, North Korea’s state-run media revealed Wednesday that Hyon Yong-chol, who had been in charge of the field operations of the North Korean military as chief of its general staff, has been replaced with Gen. Kim Kyok-sik. General Kim was dismissed as minister of the People’s Armed Services earlier this month, and his unexpected return to a more powerful position was bound to rattle nerves in the region. | While citing the names of officials who saw Mr. Choe off on his trip to Beijing, North Korea’s state-run media revealed Wednesday that Hyon Yong-chol, who had been in charge of the field operations of the North Korean military as chief of its general staff, has been replaced with Gen. Kim Kyok-sik. General Kim was dismissed as minister of the People’s Armed Services earlier this month, and his unexpected return to a more powerful position was bound to rattle nerves in the region. |
| South Korean officials believed that the 74-year-old hard-line general commanded units responsible for attacks on South Korea in 2010 that killed 50 South Koreans. | South Korean officials believed that the 74-year-old hard-line general commanded units responsible for attacks on South Korea in 2010 that killed 50 South Koreans. |
| Although Kim Jong-un met with a Chinese Politburo member, Li Jianguo, who traveled to Pyongyang in November bearing a letter from Mr. Xi, he has never visited Beijing while serving as North Korean leader. | Although Kim Jong-un met with a Chinese Politburo member, Li Jianguo, who traveled to Pyongyang in November bearing a letter from Mr. Xi, he has never visited Beijing while serving as North Korean leader. |
| One of the biggest challenges he faces is how to manage his country’s traditional ties with China. China is North Korea’s last remaining ideological ally and virtually controls its economic lifeline, providing nearly all of its fuel and most of its trade amid tightening international sanctions against the isolated country. | One of the biggest challenges he faces is how to manage his country’s traditional ties with China. China is North Korea’s last remaining ideological ally and virtually controls its economic lifeline, providing nearly all of its fuel and most of its trade amid tightening international sanctions against the isolated country. |
| But the bilateral ties, once billed as being as close as “lips and teeth,” have recently shown enough signs of friction to unnerve the North Korean leader, analysts said. Chinese scholars and bloggers now openly express increasing impatience with North Korea over its nuclear weapons ambitions and threats to the region. | But the bilateral ties, once billed as being as close as “lips and teeth,” have recently shown enough signs of friction to unnerve the North Korean leader, analysts said. Chinese scholars and bloggers now openly express increasing impatience with North Korea over its nuclear weapons ambitions and threats to the region. |
| Earlier this month, the state-controlled Bank of China said that it had ceased dealing with the North Korean Foreign Trade Bank, a move that appeared to be supported by the Chinese government to show impatience with the North. Since then, other Chinese banks have taken similar steps, dealing a blow to the operation of the North Korean bank, which is a main channel of international financial transactions for the North. | Earlier this month, the state-controlled Bank of China said that it had ceased dealing with the North Korean Foreign Trade Bank, a move that appeared to be supported by the Chinese government to show impatience with the North. Since then, other Chinese banks have taken similar steps, dealing a blow to the operation of the North Korean bank, which is a main channel of international financial transactions for the North. |
| Washington and its allies have kicked off a flurry of diplomacy aimed at pressing the North to give up its nuclear programs, with President Park of South Korea meeting with President Obama in Washington on May 7 and Glyn T. Davies, Mr. Obama’s top envoy on North Korea, traveling to Seoul, Beijing and Tokyo last week. | Washington and its allies have kicked off a flurry of diplomacy aimed at pressing the North to give up its nuclear programs, with President Park of South Korea meeting with President Obama in Washington on May 7 and Glyn T. Davies, Mr. Obama’s top envoy on North Korea, traveling to Seoul, Beijing and Tokyo last week. |
| In recent days North Korea has begun pushing back, suggesting that it will not bend to pressure. It has rattled the region by firing six short-range projectiles into waters off its east coast since Saturday. | In recent days North Korea has begun pushing back, suggesting that it will not bend to pressure. It has rattled the region by firing six short-range projectiles into waters off its east coast since Saturday. |
| Last week, North Korea also allowed a sudden, rare visit by a political aide to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan. And on Wednesday, Japan’s chief cabinet spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, said that high-level talks with the North were possible if they would help resolve longstanding questions on the decades-old abduction of Japanese citizens, whose fate remains a hot political issue in Japan. | Last week, North Korea also allowed a sudden, rare visit by a political aide to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan. And on Wednesday, Japan’s chief cabinet spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, said that high-level talks with the North were possible if they would help resolve longstanding questions on the decades-old abduction of Japanese citizens, whose fate remains a hot political issue in Japan. |
| Mr. Abe indicated earlier this week that he might consider a summit meeting with Kim Jong-un if such a breakthrough could be made. The trip to North Korea by his aide, Isao Iijima, drew attention because he was a central figure in helping arrange a summit visit to Pyongyang in 2002 by the Japanese prime minister at the time, Junichiro Koizumi. | Mr. Abe indicated earlier this week that he might consider a summit meeting with Kim Jong-un if such a breakthrough could be made. The trip to North Korea by his aide, Isao Iijima, drew attention because he was a central figure in helping arrange a summit visit to Pyongyang in 2002 by the Japanese prime minister at the time, Junichiro Koizumi. |
| While China welcomed Mr. Iijima’s trip as a possible to step toward easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, South Korea called the trip “unhelpful” to its efforts to build a unified front among the United States, Japan and South Korea in pressing North Korea. South Korean officials have long suspected North Korea of trying to create divisions among regional powers by playing them off against each other. | While China welcomed Mr. Iijima’s trip as a possible to step toward easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, South Korea called the trip “unhelpful” to its efforts to build a unified front among the United States, Japan and South Korea in pressing North Korea. South Korean officials have long suspected North Korea of trying to create divisions among regional powers by playing them off against each other. |
| Mr. Choe, the North Korean special envoy, has been the most visible among a new lineup of officers Mr. Kim has been elevating to put his own stamp on the North’s powerful military since he took over following the death of his father, Kim Jong-il, in late 2011. As the political officer of the Korean People’s Army, Mr. Choe is in charge of assuring top military officers’ loyalty to Mr. Kim and ferreting out any whose allegiance is questioned. | Mr. Choe, the North Korean special envoy, has been the most visible among a new lineup of officers Mr. Kim has been elevating to put his own stamp on the North’s powerful military since he took over following the death of his father, Kim Jong-il, in late 2011. As the political officer of the Korean People’s Army, Mr. Choe is in charge of assuring top military officers’ loyalty to Mr. Kim and ferreting out any whose allegiance is questioned. |
| Mr. Choe’s parents were well-known Korean guerrillas who had fought together with the Chinese against Japanese colonialists in the early 20th century. That joint struggle against “imperialism” forms a basis for mutual ties between North Korea and China. | Mr. Choe’s parents were well-known Korean guerrillas who had fought together with the Chinese against Japanese colonialists in the early 20th century. That joint struggle against “imperialism” forms a basis for mutual ties between North Korea and China. |
Chris Buckley contributed reporting from Hong Kong. |