From_II North_NP1 Korea_NP1 ,_, Word_NN1 of_IO Shortages_NN2 ,_, Grudges_NP1 DANDONG_NP1 ,_, China_NP1 --_NN1 One_MC1 evening_NNT1 last_MD week_NNT1 in_II this_DD1 Chinese_JJ border_NN1 city_NN1 ,_, restaurants_NN2 bustled_VVN and_CC taxis_NN2 honked_VVD ._. 
Tall_JJ buildings_NN2 were_VBDR clad_VVN in_II LED_NN1 displays_NN2 ._. 
Just_RR beyond_II the_AT din_NN1 ,_, an_AT1 empty_JJ one-lane_JJ bridge_NN1 extended_VVN across_II the_AT Yalu_NN1 river_NN1 ,_, to_II a_AT1 darkened_JJ North_NP1 Korean_JJ city_NN1 on_II the_AT other_JJ side_NN1 ._. 
This_DD1 narrow_JJ border_NN1 bridge_NN1 is_VBZ North_NP1 Korea_NP1 's_GE lifeline_NN1 to_II the_AT outside_JJ world_NN1 ,_, carrying_VVG what_DDQ economists_NN2 estimate_VV0 is_VBZ some_DD 70%_NNU of_IO the_AT country_NN1 's_GE trade_NN1 volume_NN1 ._. 
Earlier_RRR in_II the_AT day_NNT1 ,_, roughly_RR 100_MC trucks_NN2 and_CC four_MC trains_NN2 traveled_VVD across_RL to_II the_AT North_NP1 Korean_JJ town_NN1 ,_, Sinuiju_NP1 ._. 
That_DD1 afternoon_NNT1 ,_, traffic_NN1 reversed_VVD direction_NN1 ._. 
Most_DAT trucks_NN2 returned_VVD empty_JJ ._. 
Smoking_VVG a_AT1 cigarette_NN1 in_II the_AT customs_NN2 area_NN1 after_II trip_NN1 to_II Sinuiju_NP1 ,_, truck-driver_JJ Wang_NP1 Quangui_NP1 said_VVD he_PPHS1 had_VHD brought_VVN 20_MC loaves_NN2 of_IO bread_NN1 to_TO distribute_VVI to_II friends_NN2 and_CC strangers_NN2 ,_, his_APPGE contribution_NN1 to_II solving_VVG North_NP1 Korea_NP1 's_GE most_RGT intractable_JJ problem_NN1 ._. 
This_DD1 sleepy_JJ crossing_NN1 speaks_VVZ to_II North_NP1 Korea_NP1 's_GE privations_NN2 and_CC economic_JJ malaise_NN1 just_RR as_CSA the_AT country_NN1 enters_VVZ a_AT1 season_NNT1 observers_NN2 believe_VV0 will_VM bring_VVI its_APPGE biggest_JJT political_JJ transformation_NN1 in_II decades_NNT2 ._. 
The_AT ruling_JJ Workers_NN2 Party_NN1 of_IO Korea_NP1 will_VM meet_VVI as_RG soon_RR as_CSA Saturday_NPD1 in_II the_AT first_MD full_JJ gathering_NN1 of_IO party_NN1 representatives_NN2 since_II 1966_MC ,_, a_AT1 conclave_NN1 that_CST is_VBZ expected_VVN to_TO signal_VVI the_AT successor_NN1 to_II ailing_JJ leader_NN1 Kim_NP1 Jong_NP1 Il_FW ._. 
North_NP1 Korea_NP1 's_GE closed_JJ borders_NN2 ,_, state-controlled_JJ media_NN and_CC authoritarian_JJ rule_NN1 make_VV0 divining_VVG its_APPGE leaders_NN2 '_GE and_CC citizens_NN2 '_GE thoughts_NN2 largely_RR a_AT1 guessing_NN1 game_NN1 ._. 
North_NP1 Koreans_NN2 who_PNQS traveled_VVD to_II Dandong_NP1 last_MD week_NNT1 for_IF business_NN1 declined_VVD to_TO speak_VVI of_IO conditions_NN2 in_II their_APPGE country_NN1 ._. 
But_CCB Chinese_JJ traders_NN2 and_CC recent_JJ defectors_NN2 from_II North_NP1 Korea_NP1 ,_, who_PNQS have_VH0 spoken_VVN recently_RR with_IW residents_NN2 ,_, say_VV0 the_AT backdrop_NN1 of_IO the_AT coming_JJ meetings_NN2 appears_VVZ to_TO be_VBI hunger_NN1 with_IW an_AT1 edge_NN1 of_IO martial_JJ restlessness_NN1 ._. 
Some_DD of_IO these_DD2 people_NN say_VV0 that_CST as_CSA fall_NN1 approaches_NN2 ,_, North_NP1 Korea_NP1 is_VBZ in_II the_AT midst_NN1 of_IO its_APPGE worst_JJT food_NN1 crisis_NN1 since_CS its_APPGE late_JJ 1990s_MC2 famine_NN1 ._. 
The_AT Workers_NN2 '_GE Party_NN1 meeting_VVG in_II the_AT capital_NN1 ,_, Pyongyang_NP1 ,_, is_VBZ expected_VVN to_TO run_VVI four_MC or_CC five_MC days_NNT2 and_CC is_VBZ being_VBG closely_RR watched_VVN by_II outside_JJ analysts_NN2 and_CC diplomats_NN2 ._. 
Most_DAT believe_VV0 Mr._NNB Kim_NP1 will_VM appoint_VVI his_APPGE third_MD son_NN1 ,_, Kim_NP1 Jong_NP1 Eun_NP1 ,_, to_II a_AT1 post_NN1 that_CST would_VM signal_VVI the_AT start_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 leadership_NN1 transition_NN1 ,_, preserving_JJ family_NN1 control_NN1 of_IO the_AT country_NN1 that_CST began_VVD with_IW Kim_NP1 Jong_NP1 Il_FW 's_GE father_NN1 ,_, Kim_NP1 Il_NP1 Sung_NP1 ,_, in_II 1948_MC ._. 
A_AT1 few_DA2 analysts_NN2 believe_VV0 possible_JJ dissatisfaction_NN1 among_II elites_NN2 could_VM result_VVI in_II a_AT1 collective_NN1 ,_, Politburo-style_JJ leadership_NN1 structure_NN1 ._. 
The_AT economic_JJ decisions_NN2 that_CST emerge_VV0 may_VM be_VBI just_RR as_RG important_JJ ._. 
For_IF the_AT past_JJ decade_NNT1 ,_, the_AT government_NN1 and_CC party_NN1 experimented_VVN with_IW market_NN1 reforms_NN2 but_CCB stuck_VVD chiefly_RR to_II its_APPGE system_NN1 of_IO central_JJ control_NN1 and_CC isolation_NN1 from_II the_AT rest_NN1 of_IO the_AT world_NN1 --_NN1 a_AT1 policy_NN1 made_VVD clear_JJ by_II the_AT trickle_NN1 of_IO trade_NN1 through_II Dandong_NP1 ._. 
The_AT reclusive_JJ North_ND1 has_VHZ long_RR sought_VVN international_JJ funds_NN2 by_II selling_VVG arms_NN2 and_CC contraband_JJ goods_NN2 ,_, intelligence_NN1 sources_NN2 in_II the_AT U.S._NP1 and_CC elsewhere_RL say_VV0 ,_, spurring_VVG several_DA2 rounds_NN2 of_IO international_JJ sanctions_NN2 ._. 
The_AT U.S._NP1 recently_RR toughened_VVD sanctions_NN2 against_II North_NP1 Korean_JJ elites_NN2 after_II an_AT1 international_JJ panel_NN1 determined_VVD Pyongyang_NP1 was_VBDZ responsible_JJ for_IF the_AT March_NP1 sinking_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 South_NP1 Korean_JJ warship_NN1 ,_, the_AT Cheonan_NN1 ._. 
The_AT sanctions_NN2 affect_VV0 only_RR a_AT1 few_DA2 luxury_JJ items_NN2 in_II the_AT food_NN1 trade_NN1 ,_, and_CC many_DA2 countries_NN2 including_II the_AT U.S._NP1 provide_VV0 humanitarian_JJ food_NN1 assistance_NN1 to_II North_NP1 Korea_NP1 ._. 
But_CCB analysts_NN2 say_VV0 the_AT growing_JJ food_NN1 problem_NN1 may_VM have_VHI been_VBN a_AT1 key_JJ reason_NN1 Kim_NP1 Jong_NP1 Il_FW made_VVD a_AT1 surprise_NN1 trip_NN1 last_MD week_NNT1 to_II China_NP1 ,_, his_APPGE country_NN1 's_GE chief_JJ economic_JJ benefactor_NN1 ._. 
China_NP1 's_GE investment_NN1 and_CC trade_NN1 with_IW North_NP1 Korea_NP1 stood_VVD at_II just_RR under_RG $3_NNU billion_NNO last_MD year_NNT1 ,_, tiny_JJ by_II global_JJ standards_NN2 but_CCB a_AT1 sizable_JJ portion_NN1 of_IO North_NP1 Korea_NP1 's_GE annual_JJ gross_JJ national_JJ product_NN1 ,_, estimated_VVN by_II the_AT United_JJ Nations_NN2 to_TO be_VBI around_RG $13_NNU billion_NNO ._. 
China_NP1 's_GE trade_NN1 with_IW the_AT North_ND1 has_VHZ been_VBN rising_VVG sharply_RR since_II 2002_MC ._. 
Before_II then_RT ,_, it_PPH1 varied_VVD within_II a_AT1 range_NN1 of_IO $500_NNU million_NNO to_II $700_NNU million_NNO that_DD1 largely_RR rose_VVD or_CC fell_VVD as_II the_AT volume_NN1 of_IO North_NP1 Korea_NP1 's_GE trade_NN1 with_IW other_JJ countries_NN2 changed_VVN ._. 
In_II recent_JJ years_NNT2 ,_, China_NP1 's_GE trade_NN1 with_IW North_NP1 Korea_NP1 mushroomed_VVD and_CC accounted_VVN for_IF 70%_NNU of_IO North_NP1 Korea_NP1 's_VBZ overall_RR $3.8_NNU billion_NNO in_II trade_NN1 last_MD year_NNT1 ._. 
Through_II this_DD1 May_NPM1 ,_, bilateral_JJ trade_NN1 was_VBDZ up_RP 18%_NNU to_II $980_NNU million_NNO and_CC China_NP1 's_GE surplus_NN1 was_VBDZ up_RP 60%_NNU from_II a_AT1 year_NNT1 earlier_RRR ,_, according_II21 to_II22 Chinese_JJ customs_NN2 data_NN ._. 
Because_CS North_NP1 Korea_NP1 says_VVZ it_PPH1 is_VBZ unable_JK to_TO pay_VVI China_NP1 ,_, some_DD outside_JJ economists_NN2 consider_VV0 China_NP1 's_GE trade_NN1 surplus_NN1 as_CSA another_DD1 form_NN1 of_IO Beijing_NP1 's_GE assistance_NN1 to_II Pyongyang_NP1 ._. 
During_II Kim_NP1 Jong_NP1 Il_FW 's_GE visit_NN1 last_MD week_NNT1 ,_, Chinese_JJ state_NN1 media_NN reported_VVD that_CST President_NNB Hu_NP1 Jintao_NP1 offered_VVD to_TO boost_VVI China_NP1 's_GE investment_NN1 and_CC trade_NN1 with_IW the_AT North_ND1 ._. 
China_NP1 's_GE leaders_NN2 have_VH0 n't_XX been_VBN able_JK to_TO persuade_VVI Mr._NNB Kim_NP1 to_TO follow_VVI its_APPGE development_NN1 model_NN1 ,_, however_RR ._. 
A_ZZ1 deal_VV0 the_AT countries_NN2 made_VVN in_II 2002_MC to_TO build_VVI a_AT1 market-oriented_JJ trade_NN1 zone_NN1 on_II the_AT outskirts_NN2 of_IO Dandong_NP1 has_VHZ n't_XX materialized_VVN ._. 
Last_MD year_NNT1 ,_, Chinese_JJ Premier_NN1 Wen_NP1 Jiabao_NP1 proposed_JJ construction_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 larger_JJR ,_, multi-lane_JJ bridge_NN1 near_II the_AT old_JJ one_PN1 ._. 
It_PPH1 is_VBZ still_RR under_II discussion_NN1 ._. 
Near_II the_AT existing_JJ bridge_NN1 on_II the_AT Chinese_JJ side_NN1 ,_, North_NP1 Korean_JJ businessmen_NN2 can_VM be_VBI spotted_VVN visiting_JJ small_JJ showrooms_NN2 of_IO goods_NN2 or_CC waiting_VVG their_APPGE trucks_NN2 to_TO reach_VVI the_AT customs_NN2 area_NN1 ._. 
"_" They_PPHS2 're_VBR always_RR in_II pairs_NN2 ,_, to_TO watch_VVI each_PPX221 other_PPX222 ,_, "_" said_VVD one_MC1 South_NP1 Korean_JJ trader_NN1 who_PNQS sells_VVZ household_NN1 goods_NN2 to_II North_NP1 Koreans_NN2 from_II a_AT1 showroom_NN1 near_II the_AT customs_NN2 area_NN1 ._. 
Across_II the_AT street_NN1 from_II the_AT peach-colored_JJ gateway_NN1 to_II the_AT customs_NN2 area_NN1 ,_, four_MC North_NP1 Koreans_NN2 started_VVD walking_VVG away_RL last_MD week_NNT1 when_RRQ they_PPHS2 were_VBDR approached_VVN by_II a_AT1 reporter_NN1 ._. 
"_" We_PPIS2 're_VBR not_XX interested_JJ in_II politics_NN1 ,_, "_" one_MC1 of_IO them_PPHO2 said_VVD ._. 
"_" We_PPIS2 just_RR want_VV0 to_TO make_VVI money_NN1 ._. "_" 
