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South Korean Ambassador to China Kim Ha-joong said Thursday that Beijing has more influence over Pyongyang than people think, since 70-80 percent of overseas goods used in North Korea are imported through China. Since North Korea¡¯s Feb. 10 announcement that it is boycotting six-party talks on its nuclear weapons program, other negotiating countries have been pinning their hopes on China to persuade the Stalinist country back to the talks.
¡°There are several railways and 15 roads linking the North and China,¡± Kim added. ¡°What will happen if China shuts down three roads under the pretext of repair work and goods are not supplied to the North?¡± According to the ambassador, China has various ways of persuading North Korea without calling it outright pressure.
The ambassador said besides special envoy Wang Jiarui, who heads the Chinese Communist Party¡¯s Foreign Affairs Committee, higher-ranking Chinese officials like the foreign minister may visit Pyongyang. The military channel between Beijing and Pyongyang could also be used, the ambassador predicted.
But a South Korean government official said China would be secretive about any pressure it puts on the North to save Pyongyang¡¯s face. He added it was more realistic to expect Beijing to use carrot instead of stick.
Chinese fuel and food aid to North Korea totals tens of millions of dollars a year. Beijing invested US$200 million in its communist ally last year. Foreign Ministry officials expect China to persuade the North to return to the negotiating table by offering additional financial aid and investment.
(Kwon Dae-yeol, dykwon@chosun.com )
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