(Seoul) A delegation from North Korea’s ruling party arrived in Beijing, before going to Vietnam and Laos, the official North Korean agency announced on Friday, a sign of renewed diplomatic activity in the reclusive country .
The delegation, led by Kim Song Nam, an alternate member of the politburo, was welcomed by a representative of the Chinese Communist Party at the airport on Thursday, the KCNA news agency reported, without specifying the exact nature of the trip.
The delegation is then due to travel to Vietnam and Laos, according to a previous KCNA dispatch which did not specify the purpose of the trip.
According to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, Mr. Kim is considered a “China expert” in Pyongyang and served as an interpreter for the late North Korean leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.
The China News agency indicated for its part that the delegation met Thursday with Wang Huning, president of the main Chinese political advisory body.
China provides the largest share of economic aid to North Korea and is a traditional ally.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sought to strengthen relations with Beijing while recently intensifying his aggressive rhetoric toward Seoul.
In January, Kim said Pyongyang and Beijing had designated 2024 the “DPRK-China Friendship Year”, using the acronym of the North’s official name.
Wang Huning on Thursday expressed China’s willingness to work on “concrete actions to advance friendship between the two sides, deepen collaboration, strengthen strategic communication and jointly work for a peaceful and stable external environment”, according to China New.
After years of near-total shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, North Korea is resuming diplomatic activities. At the beginning of March, she sent a delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Pak Myong Ho to Mongolia. In September, Kim Jong-un visited Russia.
North Korea also maintains relatively close ties with Laos and Vietnam, countries ruled by a communist party.