The diplomatic triangle of Mongolia-Japan-North Korea
The Official North Korean account
Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj met North Korean Premier Pak Pong Ju in Mansudae Hall on October 30th, Rodong Sinmun reported on the 31st. The brief report listing those present concluded by saying that talks progressed in a friendly atmosphere. No details were provided on the content of the talks.
Rodong Sinmun reported on the 30th that “the Mongolian President paid his respects on October 29th to Great Comrade Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il at Keumsusan Memorial Palace.”
It added that the president wrote in the visitor’s book how “Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il made noble contributions to the traditionally friendly relations between our two nations” and that “the Mongolian nation, government and people thought highly of this matter.” In also said that “Under the guidance of Marshall Kim Jong Un, I believe the Chosun people with carry on the legacy of the Great Leaders, realizing peaceful unification, economic development and an improvement in the people’s livelihood.”
The diplomatic triangle?
With this visit by Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, Kim Jong Un has hosted his first head of state since coming to power. The agenda of the visit included mediating with regards to abductions of Japanese citizens by North Korea, according to a DPRK diplomatic source who cannot be named.
NFI received confirmation of the state-level meeting from this source in early October of this year. The apparently mysterious purchase by a Mongolian company of the headquarters of Chongryon, a pro-DPRK organization of Koreans in Japan, is said to be a part of the deal.
Kim Jong Il himself had admitted the abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korean agents during former Prime Minister Koizumi’s visit, which led to a shift in diplomatic relations. The ramifications were not limited to the state level. The 500,000 strong membership of the Chongryon shrunk to less than 50,000 members by 2012.
Japan’s Sankei Shimbun obtained internal Chongryon documents revealing orders from North Korea, it revealed on August 18th of this year. This included a request for funds to pay for maintainance of Keumsusan Memorial Palace, where the bodies of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are kept.
According to the Chongryon official, the orders were passed from Jochongryon headquarters to regional offices in the same month. The documents specified a time period in which the funds must be sent, but the official feared that the goals could not be met.
Mongolia maintains good relations with Japan and has sought to mediate in the dispute regarding the abductions before. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also discussed the issue of abductions during the visit of Mongolian Prime Minister Norov Altankhuyag in Tokyo last month.
Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj met North Korean Premier Pak Pong Ju in Mansudae Hall on October 30th, Rodong Sinmun reported on the 31st. The brief report listing those present concluded by saying that talks progressed in a friendly atmosphere. No details were provided on the content of the talks.
Rodong Sinmun reported on the 30th that “the Mongolian President paid his respects on October 29th to Great Comrade Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il at Keumsusan Memorial Palace.”
It added that the president wrote in the visitor’s book how “Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il made noble contributions to the traditionally friendly relations between our two nations” and that “the Mongolian nation, government and people thought highly of this matter.” In also said that “Under the guidance of Marshall Kim Jong Un, I believe the Chosun people with carry on the legacy of the Great Leaders, realizing peaceful unification, economic development and an improvement in the people’s livelihood.”
The diplomatic triangle?
With this visit by Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, Kim Jong Un has hosted his first head of state since coming to power. The agenda of the visit included mediating with regards to abductions of Japanese citizens by North Korea, according to a DPRK diplomatic source who cannot be named.
NFI received confirmation of the state-level meeting from this source in early October of this year. The apparently mysterious purchase by a Mongolian company of the headquarters of Chongryon, a pro-DPRK organization of Koreans in Japan, is said to be a part of the deal.
Kim Jong Il himself had admitted the abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korean agents during former Prime Minister Koizumi’s visit, which led to a shift in diplomatic relations. The ramifications were not limited to the state level. The 500,000 strong membership of the Chongryon shrunk to less than 50,000 members by 2012.
Japan’s Sankei Shimbun obtained internal Chongryon documents revealing orders from North Korea, it revealed on August 18th of this year. This included a request for funds to pay for maintainance of Keumsusan Memorial Palace, where the bodies of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are kept.
According to the Chongryon official, the orders were passed from Jochongryon headquarters to regional offices in the same month. The documents specified a time period in which the funds must be sent, but the official feared that the goals could not be met.
Mongolia maintains good relations with Japan and has sought to mediate in the dispute regarding the abductions before. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also discussed the issue of abductions during the visit of Mongolian Prime Minister Norov Altankhuyag in Tokyo last month.
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