Chinese officials may have gone to North Korea for water tests
- Source: The Global Times
- [00:23 May 31 2009]
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By Wu Gang in Hunchun
Having just finished sending several trucks of wood ear fungus and rice to North Korea, Jin, a representative of a trade company who didn't want his real name known to North Korean national security people, said that two Chinese officials were seen come into North Korea soon after the nuclear test to look at the pollution issue.
“The North Korean military has been on the highest alert since the nuclear test, fearing punitive strikes from South Korea or the US,” Jin told the Global Times minutes after he came out of Quanhe Road Port, one of the busiest thoroughfares between China and North Korea.
Jin regularly shuttles across the border and said he learnt this from his contacts in the North Korean military. “But I don’t believe there is going to be a war,” he added.
The Chinese are worried the alleged radioactive explosion might pollute the underground water shared by the Chinese side.
A man surnamed Chen, with another company importing seafood from North Korea, also said he had heard rumors of high-ranking Chinese officials traveling to North Korea after the reported nuclear test. However, he did not know the aim of their trip.
The Chinese government has made no official announcement of sending people to North Korea after the nuclear test and so far there have been no reports of pollution on the Chinese side.
Jin said his company sent several trucks to Rajin Port in North Korea every day, and the border did not close after the nuclear test.
Chinese importers are buying large loads of frozen or dried seafood such as crab, squid and fish from North Korea.
According to a government report, Hunchun has seen $7.7-million worth of squid sold from North Korea in the first four months this year, 1.34 times more than the same period last year, contributing to nearly half of the tax revenue of Hunchun.
“We continued to buy seafood from North Korea this week,” said Chen, whose wholesale company sells the seafood to Yanbian and other places in Jilin Province.