N. Korean diplomat arrives in China

SEOUL, May 19 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean diplomat responsible for Southeast Asian affairs arrived in Beijing on Saturday, sparking speculation that he may visit Singapore ahead of a planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Hui-chol was whisked away by his country's embassy officials in Beijing upon his arrival at Beijing Capital International Airport earlier in the day without answering questions from reporters.

Choe's trip came shortly after North Korea threatened to cancel the June 12 summit in Singapore over ongoing air combat drills between South Korea and the U.S. The North has also protested U.S. demands for the "unilateral" dismantlement of its nuclear weapons program.

Trump said Thursday that he does not have the so-called Libya model in mind for North Korea's denuclearization and offered to provide strong security guarantees to the regime.

Libya surrendered its weapons of mass destruction program in 2003 in return for sanctions relief, but its then-leader Muammar Gaddafi was toppled from power and killed by NATO-backed rebel forces in 2011.

North Korea made clear this week that it would not meet the same fate as the North African country.

entropy@yna.co.kr
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