Our top story this morning.
North Korean and Chinese state media have confirmed... that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is in China for a four-day visit.
A train suspected to be carrying him passed through China's northeastern Dandong train station late last night.
For more, let's connect to our unification ministry correspondent Oh Jung-hee, standing by on the line.
Jung-hee, fill us in.
Mark,
North Korea's Korean Central News Agency and China's Xinhua News Agency have both reported this morning that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is visiting China for four days from January 7th to January 10th.
Chinese President Xi Jinping invited Kim Jong-un.
And along with Kim, his wife Ri Sol-ju and top aides from the regime including Kim Yong-chol and a couple of foreign affairs officials like Ri Su-yong and Ri Yong-ho went to Beijing as well.
This is Kim Jong-un's fourth visit to China.
He met with Xi Jinping three times last year -- once before his first summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in,... once before his June summit with U.S. President Donald Trump,... and once right after the Singapore summit.
Recently, Washington has been creating the atmosphere for another North Korea-U.S. summit which could take place soon,... and this has led to the speculation that Kim could be in China to discuss with the Chinese President what's to come next.
Kim Jong-un may also discuss involving China in the signing of the peace treaty... as he, through his New Year's Address,... called for an end to the decades-long war and for multilateral negotiations to set a permanent peace.
That's all I have for now, but I'll be watching the story develop and bring you more updates later on.
Back to you, Mark.
