China's Dandong is on 'emergency alert' during Kim Jong-un's visit to China... “Artificial flags are in place and roads are closed.”

(Beijing = Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Hyun-jeong and Jeong Seong-jo = On the 24th, when North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un was reported to have visited Dandong, Liaoning Province, China, it was confirmed that major areas in downtown Dandong were put on 'emergency alert'.

According to multiple North Korean sources, Dandong authorities mobilized public security personnel to control major roads throughout the city, restricting movement, and significantly strengthened security by deploying armored vehicles in some areas.

A North Korean source said, "Traffic control began three days ago," and explained that preliminary security training was conducted on the 22nd, and on the 23rd, armed vehicles that appeared to be armored vehicles appeared and were deployed in some areas.

Another Korean resident said, “As of the 24th, traffic control is at a very high level,” adding, “Cars are parked on major roads for tens of minutes, and movement in narrow alleys is even blocked.”

Articles and videos sharing this situation are also spreading on Chinese social media platforms Xiaohongshu and Douyin.

A SNS user who introduced himself as a resident of Dandong said, "Chairman Kim Jong-un came to Dandong to see the Anti-U.S. Assistance Memorial Hall and the Yellow Sea Automobile Manufacturing Factory, so the entire city was on high alert. Even the busiest areas were empty without a single car or person."

The Chinese military designated October 25, when it achieved its first victory in the Korean War, as the anniversary of its resistance to the United States and aid. Anti-American assistance means opposing the United States and helping North Korea.

A number of videos were posted on social media expressing the situation in which the roads were so full of cars that it was difficult to get anywhere due to traffic control.

A local Korean resident pointed out that the North Korean national flag and the Chinese five-star red flag were hoisted in rows near the China-North Korea Friendship Bridge (Yalu River Bridge) and the New Yalu River Bridge, which connect to Sinuiju, North Korea, creating a clear atmosphere welcoming Chairman Kim's visit to China.

On the other hand, the atmosphere is quiet in Beijing, where the possibility of Chairman Kim visiting via Dandong was once raised.

As a result of the Yonhap News coverage, no significant security reinforcement or traffic control movements were detected around Beijing Station, which has been used as a major travel route whenever North Korean top leaders visit China, and major roads in the city also appeared to be in the same condition as usual.

Chairman Kim has used this station every time he has visited China by train, including attending the military parade for the '80th anniversary of the Chinese people's war of resistance against Japan and the victory in the world anti-fascist war (Victory Day)' in September last year.

Experts also believed that there was a small possibility that Chairman Kim would travel from Dandong to Beijing and meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Kim Dong-gil, a professor at Peking University, said, "If Chairman Kim Jong-un was received in Dandong by someone at the level of China's external liaison department, it is a sign that he is likely to move to Beijing and meet with President Xi."

Regarding the purpose of Chairman Kim's visit to China, Professor Kim observed, "It is highly likely that it was to discuss detailed issues such as large-scale procurement of supplies and credit from China at a time when North Korea's economy has grown significantly."

In fact, with the opening of the New Yalu River Bridge connecting Sinuiju and Dandong on the 15th, expectations are growing for expanded human traffic and logistics exchanges between North Korea and China. In particular, as the two countries speed up the development of transportation and customs infrastructure in the border area, there are predictions that exchanges between North Korea and China, which have been showing signs of recovery through high-level exchanges including the leaders of the two countries, will gain momentum.

Meanwhile, according to government sources and National Assembly Intelligence Committee officials, it was confirmed that Chairman Kim visited China via the New Yalu River Bridge and met with Chinese Premier Li Chang in Dandong.

Since there is no railway on the New Yalu River Bridge, it appears that if Chairman Kim had visited China via this bridge, he would have used a car rather than a train.

Rep. Yoon Geon-young of the Democratic Party of Korea, the ruling party secretary to the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee, said that Chairman Kim's specific schedule in China is not known, but he is expected to return home on the same day after completing his visit to China.

However, to date, China has not released any state media reports or official government announcements regarding Chairman Kim's visit to China.