By Alex Jensen
SEOUL
China's President Xi Jinping has made a new pledge to bring about peaceful cooperation with North Korea, according to the latter's state-run KCNA news agency Wednesday.
Xi's message was apparently sent a day earlier to mark the 67th anniversary of the North Korean government's foundation, and vowed to strengthen ties and "thus make a positive contribution to peace, stability and development in the region."
The North's long-term alliance with China was cemented during the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty.
As South Korea has since become closer to Beijing, Seoul brushed aside the significance of Xi's message.
"It has been a diplomatic tradition that the two sides have exchanged congratulatory messages," an unnamed Unification Ministry spokesperson told reporters.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye recently traveled to China for summit talks with Xi and to attend a major World War II event, which was snubbed by North Korea's authoritarian leader Kim Jong-un.
While Beijing is viewed as a key player in softening Pyongyang's nuclear weapon ambitions, analysts also suggest China has become frustrated with the North's refusal to hold back from carrying out provocations.
Any cracks in their relationship could be further exposed if North Korea holds a long-range missile or even nuclear test in line with next month's 70th anniversary of the establishment of its Workers' Party -- a possibility that has been raising concerns even after a breakthrough Seoul-Pyongyang cooperation deal in late August.
A United States-based website revealed Tuesday that satellite imagery from Aug. 22 shows movement "not previously observed" at North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear complex.
"While international attention has recently been focused on North Korea's Sohae Satellite Launching Station and the possibility of a fourth long-range rocket test in October on the 70th anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea, developments at Yongbyon are cause for concern and should be monitored closely by the international community to determine their purpose," 38 North warned.
