North Korea expresses veiled annoyance with China

North Korea criticized a country, most likely China, for not coming to its aid when tensions escalated at the border in August.

Pyongyang’s state-controlled newspaper Rodong Sinmun stated in an editorial, “As the dark clouds of nuclear war appeared on the horizon of the fatherland, not one country came to our aid.” North Korea added “some relevant countries” remained neutral while asking Pyongyang to exercise calm and restraint in the face of “hostile forces,” Yonhap reported.

Last August, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying had said China urges both North and South Korea to exercise “calm and restraint” in the face of tensions at the Korean demilitarized zone that increased after land mine explosions injured two South Korean soldiers.

Chang Yong-seok, a senior researcher at the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies at Seoul National University, said the North was indirectly expressing its sentiments of dissatisfaction toward China.

This was the first statement of its kind to be released since the abrupt departure of North Korea’s all-female Moranbong Band from China before beginning its week-long “friendship” tour. A possible dispute between the band’s leader and Chinese government officials could have caused North Korea to issue the statement, South Korea press reported.

[UPI]

This entry was posted in China, DPRK Government by Grant Montgomery.