N. Korea names senior party official as new envoy to China+

BEIJING, Oct. 26 Kyodo -
North Korea has appointed a senior ruling party official as its new ambassador
to China, just half a year after his predecessor, a career diplomat, assumed
the post, according to reports from Pyongyang on Tuesday.
The appointment of Ji Jae Ryong, a vice director of the International
Department of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, was formalized by a decree of
the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, the official Korean Central
News Agency reported.
He replaces Choe Pyong Gwan, who had become ambassador only in April.
KCNA did not say why Choe was replaced after only half a year, which is unusual
given the fact that North Korea's two preceding ambassadors to China each
stayed for more than 10 years.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu confirmed the KCNA report, telling
journalists that Choe has left his post and returned to Pyongyang and that Ji
has arrived in Beijing.
By appointing a senior party official as ambassador, North Korea appears poised
to strengthen ties with China, its traditional ally and main benefactor, as it
begins the succession process from leader Kim Jong Il to his third son and heir
apparent Kim Jong Un.
Ji's appointment is seen by some in diplomatic circles in Beijing as part of
Pyongyang's preparation for an official visit to China by Kim Jong Un, 27, who
recently became a vice chairman of the party's Central Military Commission.
Ji is said to have close ties with Jang Song Thaek, a vice chairman of the
National Defense Commission and director of the party's Administration
Department.
Jang and his wife Kim Kyong Hui, Kim Jong Il's sister and a party department
director, are seen as guardians of Kim Jong Un.
According to information from South Korea, Ji studied the Russian language at
Kim Il Sung University and previously served as North Korea's ambassador in
Prague and Belgrade.
He has been handling inter-party diplomacy with China and European countries
since becoming the vice director of the party's International Department in
1993.
Meanwhile, KCNA reported that a Chinese military delegation led by Guo Boxiong,
a vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist
Party, left Pyongyang for home on Tuesday after a four-day visit.
During the visit, the delegation attended a major gathering Monday in Pyongyang
to mark the 60th anniversary of China's entry into the 1950-1953 Korean War.
Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Un joined the event, in which the traditional and
''blood-sealed'' friendship between the two countries was hailed.
The so-called Chinese People's Volunteers entered the Korean Peninsula in late
October 1950 to fight U.S.-led U.N. troops alongside North Korean forces in the
name of defeating imperialist aggression.
They enjoyed initial military success followed by a two-year stalemate, which
culminated in an armistice signed on July 27, 1953.
==Kyodo
2010-10-26 23:18:56