Kim Jong Il

=== 2010 and 2011 foreign visits ===
[[File:Dmitry Medvedev and Kim Jong-il (2011-08-24) 07.jpg|thumb|Kim with [[Russian President]] [[Dmitry Medvedev]] in [[Sosnovy Bor (garrison)|Sosnovy-Bor Military garrison]], [[Zaigrayevsky District]] [[Buriatya]] on 24 August 2011]]

Kim reportedly visited the People's Republic of China in May 2010. He entered the country via his [[North Korean leaders' trains|personal train]] on 3 May and stayed in a hotel in [[Dalian]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8657688.stm|work=[[BBC News]]|title=North Korea's Kim 'visits China'|date=3 May 2010|access-date=7 May 2010|archive-date=7 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200107165040/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8657688.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2010, Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs [[Kurt M. Campbell|Kurt Campbell]] told South Korean officials that Kim had only three years to live, according to medical information that had been compiled.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kim Jong-il 'Has 3 Years to Live'|url=http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/03/17/2010031700811.html|date=17 March 2010|access-date=5 June 2023|website=[[The Chosun Ilbo]]|language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111204043655/http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/03/17/2010031700811.html |archive-date=4 December 2011}}</ref> Kim travelled to China again in August 2010, this time with his son, fueling speculation at the time that he was ready to hand over power to his son, [[Kim Jong Un]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/aug/26/north-korean-leader-china|work=[[BBC News]]|title=North Korean leader Kim Jong-il 'visiting China with his son'|date=26 August 2010|access-date=28 August 2010|location=London|first1=Justin|last1=McCurry|first2=Jonathan|last2=Watts|archive-date=15 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130915193505/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/aug/26/north-korean-leader-china|url-status=live}}</ref>

He returned to China again in May 2011, marking the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between China and the DPRK.<ref>{{cite web|author=颜筱箐|url=http://www.china.org.cn/video/2011-05/27/content_22651894.htm|title=DPRK leader Kim Jong-Il visits China|publisher=China.org.cn|date=27 May 2011|access-date=19 December 2011|archive-date=7 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107040626/http://www.china.org.cn/video/2011-05/27/content_22651894.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> In late August 2011, he traveled by train to the Russian Far East to meet with President [[Dmitry Medvedev]] for unspecified talks.<ref>Schwirtz, M. "Kim Il-Jong Visits Russia to Meet with President Medvedev", ''The New York Times''. 21 August 2011.</ref>