[Yonhap Photo]
SEOUL/BEIJING -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Tuesday began a two-day visit in China that may include a summit with President Xi Jinping, according to sources.
Kim's third visit to China in three months follows his summit meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore on June 12 in which Kim affirmed his commitment to complete denuclearization in return for security guarantees and a new relationship with the U.S.
After an Air Koryo flight carrying Kim arrived at Beijing's Capital International Airport in the morning, Kim immediately headed to the Diaoyutai state guest house in Beijing, the first destination of Kim's two-day trip in China, the sources said.
Armed police cruisers guarded Beijing's Tiananmen area as two VIP sedans, appearing to be carrying Kim, passed through the area and entered the state hotel for top-level guests. The sedans were followed by a convoy of vehicles, including some 10 high-end passenger vehicles, ten buses and an ambulance.
His trip to China is the third this year, following the ones in March and May when he met Chinese President Xi Jinping. Chinese media confirmed Kim's visit to Beijing. China's state-run CCTV said Kim will stay in China from Tuesday to Wednesday. It did not provide more details.
Signs were detected that high-ranking officials from North Korea arrived in Beijing. Aviation sources said that Air Koryo's An-148 airplane was spotted taking off in Pyongyang early in the day and landing at Beijing's Capital International Airport at about 9:30 a.m. It has not been confirmed whether the North Korean leader was on board.
A separate North Korean freight plane also landed at the airport at about 8:40 a.m. It is said to be the same plane used to carry luggage and other necessary equipment for Kim's trip to Singapore for his summit with Trump last week.
A group of vehicles including luxury sedans and buses were seen departing from the airport. Security has been tightened around the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, with additional police officers deployed, spawning speculation that a high-ranking foreign official's visit might be imminent.
(Yonhap)
reporter
Lim Chang-won
cwlim34@ajunews.com
