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Kim Not So Sorry After All
China scotches claims of North Korean contrition, warns more tests may follow
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said today that media reports that North Korea's dictator Kim Jong-Il had apologised to a Chinese envoy for October 9th nuclear bomb test were "inaccurate." He added that while Kim has "indicated that the DPRK has no plans for a second nuclear test but if other countries impose more pressure, the DPRK may take further steps."
The Chinese official line comes a week after the media seized on South Korean reports that Kim had apologised to a Chinese envoy.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who was on a diplomatic mission to Asia at the time, raised doubts about the reports. Dr Rice hoped to push the US policy of a tough interpretation of the UN sanctions. However, following media reports of Kim's "apology" - which Beijing did not criticise at the time - her mission seemed to lose some momentum.
Allowing reports of the apology to circulate while Dr Rice was in the region did Beijing's strategy of softening sanctions no harm. South Korea, too, was hoping for a more delicate approach to its troublesome neighbour, so the report, leaked from one of Seoul's news agencies, would have been welcome there too.
China's latest statement appears to come as a warning that Kim will continue with more tests if "other countries" continue to pressurise it.
