Lee confidant‘s China visit triggers speculation on N. Korea

Yim Tae-hee, a former South Korean presidential chief of staff, made a two-day visit to Beijing before returning to Seoul on Monday, a source here said Tuesday, raising speculation about his possible contact with North Koreans in the Chinese capital.

It was the second time this year that the top aide for President Lee Myung-bak has visited China, following the previous trip early last month.

“Yim’s trip to Beijing is verified, but details of his activities in Beijing are not yet known,” the source said on the condition of anonymity.

Yim‘s close aide told Yonhap News Agency over phone that he visited China for meetings in his capacity as head of the Korea Volleyball Association, stressing that it was only a “private visit,” the same reason as last time.

His trip to China raised speculations about meetings with North Korean officials as he had previously contacted a senior North Korean official in Singapore while he was the minister of labor in 2009 to discuss inter-Korean talks. (Yonhap News)