Chinese premier says N.K. leader invited to witness economic development

(ATTN: UPDATES with details, background)
TOKYO, May 22 (Yonhap) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao told South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on Sunday that Beijing invited North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to the country in an effort to help Pyongyang learn about Chinese economic development and use it for reviving the North's economy, an official said.
Wen made the remark during a bilateral meeting with Lee on the sidelines of a tripartite summit in Tokyo with Japan.



"Premier Wen explained to President Lee that China invited Chairman Kim Jong-il to provide the North with an opportunity to understand China's economic development and use the understanding for its own (economic) development," Hong Sang-pyo, Lee's spokesman, told reporters, referring to Kim by his official title at the North's National Defense Commission.
"Wen went on to say that the Chinese government has been paying attention to Lee's long-sighted and strategic evaluation of the North Korean leaders' visits to China," said Hong.
Wen also made it clear that China opposes a nuclear-armed North Korea and would work to create the environment for inter-Korean dialogue, according to the spokesman.
The 69-year-old North Korean leader has been on a trip to China since Friday, his third in slightly over one year. On Saturday, he toured a car plant in Changchun of China's second-largest automaker by sales, FAW.
On Sunday, sources said that Kim's special train appeared to be heading south for Yangzhou, adjacent to China's economic capital of Shanghai.
jschang@yna.co.kr