(URGENT) N. Korea confirms leader Kim's Saturday visit to China

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un embarked on an unexpected trip to China, visiting the border city of Dandong. Accompanied by Wang Huning, a senior Chinese Party official and Politburo Standing Committee member, Kim laid a wreath at the monument to Chinese People's Volunteers in memory of the soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the Korean War. Both North Korea and China fought together against the US-led UN forces at that time.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi joined Kim and Wang Huning for the commemorative ceremony. In a statement released by the state news agency Xinhua, Kim expressed his gratitude towards China for its long-standing support of North Korea's socialist cause. He also stated that the prospects for cooperation between the two countries were very promising.

Kim's visit occurred shortly before the 76th anniversary of the entry of Chinese troops into the Korean War, known as "The War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea" in China. The journey concluded with Kim traveling to North Korea via a newly inaugurated border bridge over the Yalu River, which had been opened a few weeks earlier. This bridge, spanning 3 kilometers, facilitates trade between the two nations.

However, China did not confirm reports that Kim also met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, a claim attributed to an anonymous government source by South Korea's official news agency Yonhap. Despite this discrepancy, the visit clearly highlights the significant role China plays as North Korea's most important trading partner, particularly given North Korea's sanctions due to its nuclear weapons program.