North Korean leader Kim Jong Un departed Pyongyang by train on Monday to attend a significant military parade in Beijing, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported. This marks the first time Kim will participate in a major multilateral diplomatic event, highlighting a rare move for the usually reclusive leader. He is expected to arrive in China on Tuesday and join the parade on Wednesday, held to commemorate Japan’s formal surrender in World War Two.
The invitation to Kim came directly from Chinese President Xi Jinping, underscoring the close ties between the two countries. At the same event, Russian President Vladimir Putin will also be present, reflecting the gathering of key leaders with strong strategic interests in the region. Analysts anticipate that Kim will undertake separate bilateral talks with both Xi and Putin during the event’s sidelines.
Historically, Kim Jong Un’s predecessors showed little presence in large international gatherings—his grandfather Kim Il Sung being a rare exception. Cheong Seong-chang, vice president of the Seoul-based Sejong Institute, noted that Kim appears eager to strengthen relations with Beijing, particularly after recent summits involving South Korea and the United States. This visit signals a strategic diplomatic engagement for the North Korean leader.
South Korea is also sending National Assembly speaker Woo Won-shik to the parade, although it remains unclear if Woo will have the chance to meet Kim directly. The parade commemorates pivotal historical moments, including Japan’s defeat in 1945 and the rise of Communist China in 1949, both of which set the stage for the Korean War and the peninsula’s division into North and South Korea.
