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China-Japan-Koreas
North Korean Leader's Whereabouts Unknown
2006-01-12
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

#14  His Macao bankers can sneak there without much effort and, besides, Guangzhou is paradise compared to anywhere in North Korea.
Posted by: Darrell   2006-01-12 19:57  

#13  When I first heard that Kimmie was mising and his whole train too the first thing that came to mind was that old movie "The Cassandra Crossing"


Bbe a good way for the Chinese to "Vanish" a serious embarrasment.
And would also explain why he's been so determined to get N Korea Nuked, to hide all the embezzlement evidence.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2006-01-12 19:56  

#12  TW...
He's in trouble with the Chinese because we delisted one of their Macao banks that was washing billions of his counterfit US money.
Posted by: 3dc   2006-01-12 19:48  

#11  Why would anyone go to Guangzhou who didn't absolutely have to? The city is a highly polluted, industrialized wasteland of a city. Granted, they have an international school there now for the ex-pat offspring, and I've heard about an ex-pat suburb (so they can live in real houses instead of 2 connected rooms over the Hard Rock Cafe -- with a hotplate to cook on!), but even so. Guangzhou is the kind of city for which oxygen bars were invented.
Posted by: trailing wife   2006-01-12 14:36  

#10  #9: Have they checked the happy houses?
Posted by: Fred|| 2006-01-12 13:02 ||Comments Top||

Maybe he inadvertently checked the 'happy ending' box at the barber shop. Could be months till we see him Fred.
Posted by: Besoeker   2006-01-12 13:41  

#9  Have they checked the happy houses?
Posted by: Fred   2006-01-12 13:02  

#8  :>
Posted by: Crease Slolung3988   2006-01-12 10:46  

#7  Where, oh where, has My little Kim gone?
Oh where, oh where, can he be?
With his legs so short
And this hair so long
Oh where, oh where, can he be?
Posted by: Jackal   2006-01-12 08:19  

#6  Kimmie couldn't pay the check at the Dim Sum Palace and is now washing dishes in the back.
Posted by: ed   2006-01-12 07:45  

#5  Run-away bride dictator. He likes trains, anyone try Harrah's or the Luxor?

http://www.lvmonorail.com/ride_04_stat_harrahs.html
Posted by: Creck Ulagum6581   2006-01-12 07:14  

#4  "Where in the World is Little Kimmie?"

Posted by: mojo   2006-01-12 01:59  

#3  I'm sorry, I don't get the joke.
Posted by: Phil   2006-01-12 01:05  

#2  Polo?
Posted by: Phil   2006-01-12 01:04  

#1  "Marco."
Posted by: Seafarious   2006-01-12 00:14  

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