Don't know why, don't care

The Chinese have quietly agreed to allow North Koreans living in South Korean missions in their country to leave for Seoul.

This is a major turnaround and one wonders what it says about the status of Kim Jong Eun. After all, China didn't take the North Korean refugee situation as seriously as they have in recent years until Kim Jong Il (ca. 2008?) gave them hell about it. Since then, they've steadily ratcheted up the pressure on refugees, doing almost everything possible to keep them from getting into their country and hunting them down and returning them when that fails. Now with Jong Eun sending more and more NSA security agents into China to hunt down ever greater numbers of "traitors," maybe the Chinese are thinking this isn't such a big deal. Maybe it's a case of, "Hey, why are we being so accomodating to this young man when our sources inside the Politburo tell us he isn't long for this world?" Remember that rumored hit on him? What a crazy rumor to start if it had no basis. Maybe it was an assassination gone wrong.

In any event, is this a true turnaround for the Chinese? Is it a way of telling Pyongyang, "Hey, we're your biggest supporter and the reason your miserable government doesn't come crashing to the ground. And when we say launching this rocket isn't a good idea, take a hint." Or is it something else entirely?

I don't know, and I don't care, as long as it happens. Of course, we won't know until we see those defectors get off the plane in Seoul, but if it happens, it can't come too soon. Praise God at least these people will have a shot at a better life. Let's pray it all comes to fruition and fast and that many more join them soon thereafter.