N. Korean premier to visit China 'soon': report

SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's premier will "soon" visit China,
Pyongyang's news agency said Tuesday, amid growing speculation the allies may
arrange a summit this year.

Kim Yong-il, premier of the North Korean Cabinet, "will soon pay an official
goodwill visit" to China at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao,
said the Korean Central News Agency in a one-sentence report.
The report did not say when the visit will be and what its purposes are.
North Korea and China are celebrating the "year of Sino-DPRK friendship" to mark
their 60th year of diplomatic relations. China fought for North Korea in the
1950-53 Korean War against South Korea and the United States and currently
remains as the sole major donor to the impoverished North, with the South Korean
government's humanitarian aid suspended about a year ago amid faltering
relations.
Speculation has mounted that the allies may arrange a new summit this year.
Chinese President Hu Jintao invited North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to Beijing
through a letter in January, and Kim has accepted it, according to China's Xinhua
news agency.
Kim Jong-il, 67, is believed to have made a good recovery after allegedly
suffering a stroke in August. Kim dropped out of the public sight for weeks and
missed a major event in early September celebrating the 60th anniversary of the
nation's founding, sparking widespread speculation about his health.
hkim@yna.co.kr
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