North Korean leader bargains

last updated 8 January 2015

Beijing

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il made a rare visit to Beijing this week to discuss the standoff over his country’s nuclear weapons. Kim, a reluctant traveler who is terrified of flying, took a train to the Chinese capital. China has been trying for months to persuade Kim to give up his nukes, or at least to agree to talks about giving them up, in exchange for economic aid. U.S. officials worry that as the standoff drags on, North Korea could be making more weapons. When Vice President Dick Cheney visited China last week, he reportedly told Chinese leaders that the clock was ticking. The North Korean news service retaliated by calling Cheney “a mentally deranged person” who was making “disgusting” demands.