China’s secrecy over Kim Jong-un’s visit was part of a long-standing tradition
Observers said they noted increased security presence in border city of Dandong last week, which was exactly how visits by North Korea’s former leader Kim Jong-il always started
The secretive nature of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s visit to Beijing this week was in keeping with tradition, military observers said on Wednesday.
“I was told that security was being stepped up in the border city of Dandong in Liaoning province last week, and that sparked speculation in military circles about [a possible visit by] Kim,” a Beijing-based military source, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, told the South China Morning Post.
The rumour mill sprang into action, because the increased security presence was exactly the same as it had been on the many occasions when Kim’s late father, Kim Jong-il, visited Beijing, he said.
“It’s common practice to keep North Korean leaders’ whereabouts a secret, because Kim is terrified that the United States or another hostile nation will try to take him out.”
The first reports of Kim’s visit to Beijing came on Monday evening from overseas news outlets and mainland Chinese social media after a distinctive green train – carrying Kim, his wife Ri Sol-ju and the rest of his team – was spotted passing through Dandong.