Thread by @NoonInKorea

It was KJU's "coming out party" when he did Beijing for 3 days. But it was his entourage that was eye-opening: KWP figures from OGD, Agitation & Propaganda, Foreign Ministry & diplomacy and Unification Front. Unlike during KJI days, no KPA figures chosen.
hani.co.kr/arti/politics/…

NK FM Ri Yong-ho shakes hands with Emperor Xi. Kim Yong-chol and Foreign Affairs Committee chair Ri Soo-yong are to his left. But no Kim Yong-nam nor Kim Ki-nam, why? Some think ceremonial head of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) KYN may soon retire.

Kim Yong-nam is 90 years old and may retire. His replacement could be named at the next SPA scheduled for April 11. But 89-year old Kim Ki-nam (lil bro of KYN) has already been replaced. It was his replacement Park Kwong-ho who went to Beijing in his stead md.kbs.co.kr/news/view.do?n…

Squeezed between Choe Ryong-hae and Ri Soo-yong, this is Pak Kwong-ho who is from AgitProp (Agitation & Propaganda Dept). No real info was available on him until after Oct 7, 2017 KWP Cent Committee all-comer meeting when he supposedly replaced Kim Ki-nam

But who actually sat with Emperor Xi and his lieutenants (Song Tao, Yang Jiechi etc) to discuss important matters (presumably denuclearization): the 2 diplomats (the 2 Ris) plus Unification Front head Kim Yong-chol, who is the guy in charge of SK policy

But focus on someone from the Chinese side as well: Xi's aide and architect of the "Chinese dream" Wang Huning who's in charge of ideology & propaganda. If KJU's serious, SK analysts think, Wang could help NK pivot toward Chinese-style reform and evolution
news.sbs.co.kr/news/endPage.d…

That's being awfully optimistic but it's one observation when seeing Wang receive KJU. Wang helped shape ideological themes of Hu Jintao-Jiang Zemin administrations and is acting as Xi's head strategist: he could help steer NK to a path more like China's.
scmp.com/news/china/pol…

What's meant by "receiving" KJU? Wang Huning was the first Chinese to greet him when he arrived in Beijing station. Earlier in Dandong, former special envoy Song Tao came inside to welcome KJU: Song, remember, was spurned by KJU when he visited NK in Nov

Why do rumors of NK's impending liberalization often surface after trips to China? Because NK leaders like checking out gadgets at Zhongguancun (bka Beijing's Silicon Valley): KJU and wife check out virtual reality goggles. KJI was also here in 2000 & 2011
hani.co.kr/arti/internati…

KJI was actually in Zhongguancun (中關村) 3 times: his 1st trip was in 2001 after the Arduous March when NK economy had collapsed. He was convinced NK could enter software development and studied not only Zhongguancun but Shanghai's Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park
news.donga.com/3/all/20180329…

Those aren't the only places: Rajin-Sonbong was modeled after Singapore and Sinuiju after Shenzhen (north of HK). KJI also studied Doi Moi. KJI attempted to introduce economic reform and liberalization on a limited scale each time but failed each time

It's not like we don't know why. At inter-Korean summits, one SK economist told KJI, "Chinese-style reform is the only way." KJI supposedly replied, "So, Eastern Europe liberalized. But where in Eastern Europe does the original ruler still have his reign?" news.donga.com/Politics/3/00/…

Kim HS served under 3 SK presidents. He had conversations with Kim Yong-chol at 1992 Panmunjom's military conference where they discussed "threats to NK regime." This was way before the Cheonan sinking in March 2010, i.e., before Kim became mass murderer news.chosun.com/site/data/html…

His dialogue with Kim Yong-chol convinced him NK is well-aware where the main threat to the regime lies. "The threat lies in the 'contradictions of the regime.'" The main threat is not the US; it's internal and NK has had to externalize it to shield its "internal contradictions."