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Thursday, July 27th marks the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement, which ended fighting in the 1950-1953 Korean War. According to the Associated Press, China and Russia sent delegates to North Korea, at the invite of Pyongyang, to participate in events this week. The anniversary also comes amid heightened tensions in the region, with an intensifying back-and-forth between the pace of North Korea’s weapons tests and U.S. military exercises with South Korea.
Yonho Kim is an associate research professor of international affairs and the associate director of the Institute for Korean Studies at the George Washington University. Kim directs the policy programs at the Institute, which include North Korea Economic Forum, North Korea Certificate Program, and Korea Policy Forum. He specializes in North Korea’s mobile telecommunications and U.S. policy towards North Korea.
Kim can discuss Russia and China’s presence in North Korea for this week’s events, which he says isn’t a surprising move: “I would be surprised if Russia and China didn’t send their delegation to Pyongyang when this year celebrates the 70th anniversary. It’s not 67th, 68th or 69th. They are supposed to make a big celebration for every tenth anniversary. What’s interesting is China sent a mid-level official against Pyongyang’s wish. So, I wouldn’t read too much into these visits.”
He can also discuss speculation of whether these visits are a sign of Pyongyang moving closer to opening its border. Kim says, it’s always recommended that we don’t ‘predict’ what North Korea is willing and ready to do when we don’t have much information about what’s going on in Pyongyang.
-GW-
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