Media reports on N Korea ties after soldier killed four people in border town

Papers and experts discuss Beijing-Pyongyang ties following reports that a North Korean soldier killed four people in a Chinese border town.
The soldier crossed the border in late December, stealing money and food before killing residents in Helong.
According to papers, he was later arrested north of the Tumen River that divides China and North Korea.
The Chinese foreign ministry gave no details about the incident, but said it has lodged a protest with North Korea.
Most papers in China have carried the news, quoting South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency and state-run Xinhua, while appearing to refrain from making any comments about the incident.
Experts, however, dismiss speculation that the incident will hurt Beijing-Pyongyang ties.
Zhao Lixin, a Korean studies expert, tells the Global Times such a case “should be viewed as a criminal incident rather than a political case”.
“The Chinese government will protect its citizens’ safety. This will not influence the relations between China and North Korea,” says the pundit.
Echoing similar view, Wang Linchang, another expert on Korean affairs, tells the Chinese edition of the paper that China will “handle the matter seriously and will not let go of the murderer easily”.
Meanwhile, noting that the news was first broken by news agencies in South Korea, the Global Times’ Chinese edition takes a rare step and criticises Chinese officials and the media’s silence over the issue.
“Don’t let South Korea’s media tell us that a North Korean soldier has entered China,” says the editorial, pointing out that the incident was only revealed a week later and by a “third party”.
“This makes one wonder the reason behind the delay in informing the public. Maybe it is because of the sensitivity of Beijing-Pyongyang relations. But this is an individual case…which has no connection to the bilateral ties,” argues the paper.
The article further urges government agencies and “mainstream media” to increase their credibility by providing timely information.
“South Korea’s media outlets have gained credibility by reporting this news, while China’s mainstream media and officials are losing out,” notes the daily. Courtesy BBC News