E-MAIL THIS LINK
To: 

North Korean Leader's Whereabouts Unknown
SHANGHAI, China (AP) - The whereabouts of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il remained unclear Thursday, with a Hong Kong-based television network speculating he may be headed for the south Chinese city of Guangzhou, while other reports put him in Beijing or Russia.

Phoenix Television reported that three major hotels in Guangzhou known to be used for VIP visitors were largely empty and requiring guests to check out by tomorrow. A sales department employee at Guangzhou's famed White Swan hotel confirmed that they were expecting a ``a very important visitor'' beginning on Friday. She would not give her name, since she was not authorized to speak publicly. ``From January 12th-15th, we won't accept any new bookings. Some guests may have to move,'' said the hotel's assistant general manager, Janet Xie, without giving a reason.
That's the Cindy Sheehan entourage.
A staffer at the hotel's publicity department, meanwhile, denied that Kim was expected to visit.

Local officials said they were in the dark. ``I've never heard of this,'' said Shi Lishi, a spokesman for the Guangzhou city government.
"I know nothing! Tell them, Hogan!"
U.S. and Chinese officials said they could not confirm various reports, mostly by South Korean media, saying that Kim entered China by special train earlier in the week and traveled either to Beijing, Shanghai or Russia. In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said he had seen the news reports, ``But I can't confirm or deny them.''

On Wednesday, officials in Shanghai also disavowed any information about Kim's whereabouts. ``I have not received any information whatsoever about this,'' Jiao Yang, the city government spokeswoman, said at a regularly scheduled news conference.
"I can say no more!"
In the past, visits by Kim to China have been reported only after his departure. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that Kim planned to visit China, but would not give the exact timing. Kim last visited China in April 2004.
Posted by: Steve White 2006-01-12
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=139600