Will Kim Jong-un’s visit to China end as a day trip? Former Intelligence Committee secretary "likely to return to Korea today" (comprehensive)

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Park Soo-yoon and Kim Jeong-jin = It seems likely that North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un, who made a surprise visit to China for the first time in over a year, will return home after completing his schedule in China on the 24th, the same day of his visit, said Yoon Geon-young of the Democratic Party of Korea, the ruling party secretary to the National Assembly Intelligence Committee.

Rep. Yoon said in a phone call with Yonhap News that day, “Chairman Kim Jong-un’s return to Korea seems almost certain today.”

Regarding the purpose and meaning of Chairman Kim's visit to China, he explained, "It is presumed that there are two purposes: a positive signal about the North Korea-US summit and an event in North Korea-China relations, such as the opening of the New Yalu River Bridge."

At the same time, he mentioned the schedule of the 5th plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of China (20th plenary session), which will be held from the 26th, and explained, "There is a '5th plenary session' in China, and there is no reason to stay for a long time in the case of the bridge opening event," and "This visit will be a very short visit."

Rep. Yoon also predicted that Chairman Kim may have visited China to commemorate China's so-called 'anti-US and aid anniversary'.

China, which calls the Korean War the 'Anti-American Aid War', calls October 25th every year the Anti-American Aid Memorial Day.

Regarding the schedule of the visit to China, Rep. Yoon added, "Whom I meet in China is important, and this remains to be seen."

In relation to this, it is reported that Chairman Kim is highly likely to have no separate meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Representative Yoon said in a separate press notice, “It is said that it has been confirmed that Chairman Kim met with Chinese Premier Li Chang of the State Council.”

An official from the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee also told Yonhap News, "It is estimated that there is a possibility of meeting with Chinese officials who attended the opening ceremony of the New Yalu River Bridge, including Prime Minister Li Chang."

The political world is also paying attention to the fact that Chairman Kim's visit to China took place ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit to be held in China next month.

This is because U.S. President Donald Trump has mentioned that he may meet with Chairman Kim during APEC.

However, on the 19th, President Trump said, "I don't know" about the possibility of meeting Chairman Kim on the occasion of APEC.

Regarding whether Chairman Kim's visit to China can be interpreted as a preparation for the North Korea-US summit, Rep. Yoon said, "Chairman Kim visited China twice ahead of the 2018 inter-Korean summit and the North Korea-US summit. (His father, National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-il) also communicated with China ahead of the inter-Korean summit with President Kim Dae-jung in 2002. So we can infer that, but it may be difficult to say that's the case."

Rep. Kim Dae-sik of the People's Power Party, secretary of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, predicted in a phone call that "Chairman Kim's visit to China may have the meaning of refuting rumors of his death and of prior coordination with China ahead of the North Korea-U.S. summit."

Previously, the National Intelligence Service visited the National Assembly Intelligence Committee the day before and reported to the Chairman of the Intelligence Committee and multiple intelligence committee members of the ruling and opposition parties about the possibility of Chairman Kim visiting China that day.