Hu congratulates Kim Jong-il on reelection: KCNA

SEOUL, April 11 (Yonhap) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao has sent a message to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to congratulate him on his reelection to the head of North Korea's governing body, the North's official Korean Central News Agency reported Saturday.

"The reelection (of Kim Jong-il) as the chairman of the National Defense
Commission shows the North Korean people's sincere support and high confidence
(in him)," Hu said in the message, according to the KCNA.
The new Supreme People's Assembly, North Korea's parliament, reelected Kim
Thursday, ending suspicions that his grip on state affairs was slipping after he
reportedly suffered a stroke last summer.
The message comes at a sensitive time. China vehemently opposes efforts by the
U.S. and its allies to sanction North Korea for its rocket launch Sunday.
"The coherent policy of the Chinese government and Communist Party is to
consolidate and develop cooperation and a friendly relationship between China and
North Korea," said Hu, according to the KCNA. "China will make efforts jointly
with North Korea to further develop a cooperative and friendly relationship
between China and North Korea on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the
normalization of bilateral ties and the Friendship Year of China and North
Korea."
Analysts say North Korea's rocket launch was aimed at consolidating Kim's power
amid rumors of his failing health and the possible nomination of his third and
youngest son, Jong-un, as his successor in another dynastic power transfer.
Kim ascended to power in 1994 after the death of his father, Kim Il-sung, North
Korea's founder.
The appointment Thursday of Chang Song-thaek, Kim's brother-in-law, as a member
of the all-powerful National Defense Commission, which controls the North's
military as well as economic affairs, is seen by many as an attempt by Kim to
allow Chang to play a caretaker role in a smooth power transition.
None of Kim's three sons has had major posts in the government, military or the
North's ruling Workers Party. In contrast, Kim himself had consolidated power for
two decades in various party and government posts until his father's death in
1994.
China, North Korea's staunchest communist ally, has sided with North Korea in its
claims to have launched a rocket for satellite delivery, while the U.S. and its
allies have denounced the North for violating U.N. Security Council Resolution
1718, adopted in 2006 after North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear tests.
In the face of strong opposition from China and also Russia, the U.S. and Japan
might have to settle for a nonbinding U.N. Security Council chairman's statement
expressing concerns over tensions escalated by the rocket launch and citing
sanctions under the resolution. The existing sanctions are said to be largely
neglected due to a lack of proper implementation measures.
Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said she had a "productive" meeting of
the council's four other veto-wielding powers, along with Japan, at U.N.
headquarters Thursday, but did not reach an agreement on how to deal with the
North's rocket launch.
In an apparent change of position, Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso said earlier
in the day that his government would not stick to a legally binding resolution if
a proper message is delivered to the North.
Reports said the U.S. is also discussing with China and Russia what the proposed
chairman's statement should address.
China has urged all parties to show restraint in order not to escalate tensions
further in Northeast Asia. North Korea is threatening to scrap the six-nation
denuclearization talks and has hinted it will conduct a second nuclear test
should the Security Council take punitive steps.
hdh@yna.co.kr
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