SEOUL—China invited North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il, who began his seventh trip there on Friday, to learn more about its economic development, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao told South Korean President Lee Myung-bak Sunday.

Messrs. Wen and Lee discussed Mr. Kim's visit during a meeting in Japan ahead of a trilateral summit with Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan. Mr. Wen told Mr. Lee that China invited Mr. Kim so that he gets "an opportunity to understand China's development" and use that knowledge for North Korea's own development,...