Chinese and North Korean Officials Meet

China, the one country with any real diplomatic ties to North Korea, sent an envoy over this week to have a discussion. Though an official statement has not yet been released about the topic, South Korean agencies have relayed their ideas.

From the story:

'On Sunday, Wang and North Korean Workers' Party officials held talks in Pyongyang and exchanged views on strengthening ties between the communist neighbors and "matters of mutual concern," the official Korean Central News Agency said in a brief dispatch. ...

 'South Korean media, including the Yonhap news agency, have reported that Wang's trip to North Korea appears aimed at pushing the communist North to rejoin the six-party talks on dismantling its nuclear program in return for aid and other benefits.'

Realistically, China probably has the best chance at persuading the North back into nuclear dismantling talks. The North sees the Chinese as an ally, whereas they see the US as an enemy.

But at the end of the story, North Korean officials reiterated that they would like to build a better relationship with the US. I suppose the best way for North Korea to go would be to get on the good sides of the world's two reigning super-powers. Not a bad move, there.