Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo interpreted Chinese President Xi Jinping’s warm reception of Workers’ Party General Secretary Kim Jong Un as a strategic move to use North Korea to constrain U.S. military operations in South Korea.
On September 6, Hong analyzed via social media that North Korea’s involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict in support of Russia carries significant military implications for both North Korea and China.
He argued that this engagement not only grants Kim access to cutting-edge military technology from Putin but also convinces Xi that Kim could be leveraged in China’s potential 2027 campaign for Taiwan reunification.
Hong explained that Xi had been concerned about the U.S. Global Defense Posture Review (GPR), which could rapidly deploy troops from South Korea if China were to invade Taiwan under the pretext of reunification. Xi apparently sees Kim as capable of disrupting this GPR plan.
Hong pointed out that North Korea’s military maneuvers could prevent the U.S. from redeploying troops from South Korea to Taiwan. He suggested that Kim likely assured Xi of his crucial role in realizing China’s continental unification ambitions, rather than being a mere liability. This, Hong believes, explains Xi’s decision to treat Kim as a state guest.
Hong warned that a cross-strait conflict between China and Taiwan could potentially ignite a war on the Korean Peninsula. He emphasized the need to strengthen the U.S.-South Korea-Japan alliance and to prevent any flexibility in U.S. troop deployments in South Korea.
In related news, Hong announced the reopening of his YouTube channel, “TV Hong Cola”, tonight. He mentioned that he completed a recording yesterday discussing Xi’s hospitable treatment of Kim, signaling his return to active political engagement.