The real reason Kim went to China.
The week's news at a glance.
North Korea
Editorial
Asahi Shimbun (Japan)
As usual, it’s all about money, said Tokyo’s Asahi Shimbun in an editorial. When North Korea’s pathologically reclusive leader, Kim Jong Il, ventured across his country’s border into China last week, everyone was buzzing about his mission. According to Chinese President Hu Jintao, Kim said he was willing to return to six-nation talks about his country’s nuclear programs. But there’s still a sticking point. The U.S. “has imposed virtual sanctions” on the bank in Macao where Kim keeps his foreign currency. Macao, a former Portuguese colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1999, is a center for Asia’s gambling and casino industries. The U.S. government believes North Korea has been using the Macao account to launder funds it earned “through the forgery of U.S. dollar bills and narcotics smuggling.” North Korea says the charges are false and that it won’t return to the bargaining table until the U.S. eases up pressure on the bank. The two issues, though, are completely unrelated. North Korea would be better advised to return to the international community “as a player in the global economy.” There it could “receive much larger economic benefits” than it does in Macao.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
How did the Wagner Group recruit young British men for arson attack?
Today's Big Question Russian operatives have been using encrypted messaging apps to groom saboteurs across Europe
-
The best graphic novels
The Week Recommends These inventive illustrated books will transport you to another world
-
How a UK wealth tax could work
A levy could be on the agenda as Rachel Reeves attempts to get the nation's finances back on track