North Korea 'behaves' for China during Beijing Games

A session of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly is held in Pyongyang, Sunday and Monday, in this photo, provided by the Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap

By Kang Seung-woo

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's absence from the country's key parliamentary meeting ― as well as the lack of public message for South Korea or the United States ― is raising speculation that the reclusive country is refraining from its saber-rattling mainly due to the ongoing Beijing Winter Olympics.

According to its state-run Korean Central News Agency, the totalitarian state held the sixth session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) in Pyongyang, Sunday and Monday without Kim's attendance. The SPA is the highest organ of power under the North Korean Constitution, although it rubber-stamps decisions of the ruling Workers' Party.

The meeting came on the heels of seven missile tests, in total, in January, including the launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile. In addition, the country has threatened to lift its self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and ballistic missile tests in protest against Washington's "hostile" moves. The North Korean leader declared a halt to all nuclear and ICBM tests in April 2018, while engaging in talks with former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Since Kim assumed power in 2011, the leader has attended the SPA on eight out of 14 occasions, with him unveiling the regime's policy directions twice ― in 2019 and 2021.

"At this point, a message that can be issued by Kim about its foreign policy would boil down to its decision to scrap the moratorium and sending such a serious message during the Beijing Olympics could pose a problem to its ties with China, which does not want any military tension during the period," said Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University.

China is North Korea's lone economic pipeline and diplomatic protector who prevents the United Nations Security Council from imposing sanctions on Pyongyang for its provocations.

Other analysts also see Kim's congratulatory message to Chinese President Xi Jinping for the opening of the Winter Games last week as a sign of suspending missile tests.

The North Korean leader said in the message that the bilateral relations had been cemented into "invincible strategic relations."

"Although North Korea test-fired missiles seven times in January, it is anticipated to refrain from staging provocations until the Beijing Winter Olympics are over (on Feb. 20)," said Cheong Seong-chang, the director of the Center for North Korean Studies at the Sejong Institute.

Plus, there were no specific movements, Tuesday, when the nation marked the 74th anniversary of the military's founding.

Park said North Korea may stage a military parade on Feb. 16 to celebrate the 80th birth anniversary of late former leader Kim Jong-il, father of the current leader, during which it may showcase its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles arsenal, but it would not ruffle China's feathers.

Instead, North Korea is highly expected to stage a major show of force in April, when it is scheduled to mark the 100th birthday of its founder Kim Il-sung on April 15.

"North Korea has propagated 2022 as the 'year of revolutionary, auspicious occasions' and April is the most important month to the country, so it could do something significant for its part," Park added.

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