New Media Track Kim Jong-il Wherever He Goes

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has been unable to dodge the glare of new media despite tight secrecy surrounding his itinerary in China. The Chinese government gave no further details of his visit after a rare admission that he is in the country, but Chinese authorities were unable to stop Internet users from posting images of Kim on his stopovers.

One video clip showing the reclusive leader on a visit to an electronics company in the southern Chinese city of Nanjing was posted on Youku.com, a Chinese website similar to YouTube. The three-minute clip shows a large group of people, including bodyguards in black suits greeting a motorcade in front of Nanjing Panda LCD Electronics. When a black Maybach arrives, people rush to open both doors and Kim, in his trademark green suit, emerges from the right side of the car, and his wife from the left.

The user, whose handle is daney927, said, "I work for a subcontractor for Nanjing Panda LCD Electronics and was lucky enough to spot Kim Jong-il."

Kim was also spotted in Yangzhou, where he stayed from Sunday till Tuesday morning. A netizen posted images of him in the city on the Chinese version of Twitter, Sina Weibo. On Sunday, the woman, who describes herself as a 32-year-old performer with a state-run dance troupe, posted, "I received a temporary assignment and headed to Yangzhou. It was an important assignment that I can't talk about for the time being. I was busy all day and just got back to my room and I'm tired." Then on Monday night, she posted the photo via her iPhone with the message, "I am unveiling a mystery."

The photo shows a banquet hall with an L-shaped table covered in white linen and chairs. A banner hanging over the stage says in both Chinese and Korean, "We Sincerely Welcome Comrade Kim Jong-il of [North Korea's] Workers Party." The posts confirmed media reports that Kim attended a performance by a Chinese troupe in Yangzhou on Sunday or Monday night.