N. Korea reports on visiting Chinese official, no word on leader Kim

(ATTN: UPDATES with North Korean premier's meeting with Wang Jiarui)
SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- A high-level Chinese party official visiting Pyongyang
met with high-level North Korean officials on Thursday, the North's news agency
said, in a closely monitored trip raising speculation that leader Kim Jong-il may
make an appearance.

The trip by Wang Jiarui, who arrived in the North on Wednesday, raised the
possibility Kim may appear to greet him. Kim has not appeared to greet a foreign
guest since he reportedly suffered a stroke last summer.
Wang, head of the liaison department in the Chinese Communist Party's central
committee, held talks with Choe Thae-bok, secretary of the North's Workers' Party
central committee, who concurrently serves as chairman of the Supreme People's
Assembly, and Kim Yong-Il, premier of the Cabinet, the official Korean Central
News Agency said.
The report had no word yet about Kim.
Bilateral relations "are steadily growing stronger under the deep care of
General-Secretary Hu Jintao and General Secretary Kim Jong-il," Wang was quoted
as saying in the report.
The KCNA also said Premier Kim had a friendly talk with Wang at the Mansudae
Assembly Hall.
Sources say Wang's visit aims to lay the groundwork for a possible summit between
the two leaders. In a related development, China's foreign ministry delegation
visited Pyongyang earlier this month.
Kim last received a foreign guest when Chinese Vice President Xi Jin-ping visited
in June. After apparently suffering a stroke in August, Kim has been recovering
and is now in firm control of the country, according to Seoul and Washington
officials.
Wang has met the leader on all his previous visits to the North, which usually
coincide with important events in North Korea. They last met in January 2008,
ahead of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's inauguration, in February 2005,
shortly after North Korea declared its possession of nuclear weapons and in
January 2004, ahead of Kim's trip to China.
Kim's health has drawn keen attention as it is bound to a power succession in the
communist state. The leader will turn 67 next month.
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)