SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is expected to acknowledge South Korea's National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik when the two attend a military parade in Beijing next week, a senior South Korean presidential aide said Thursday.
Woo Sang-ho, senior secretary to President Lee Jae-myung, told reporters that Kim would not "snub" Speaker Woo if they come across each other during China's "Victory Day" celebrations on September 3, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The two have previously met at the 2018 inter-Korean summit. "Speaker Woo and Kim shared drinks together in 2018, and they know each other well," said the senior secretary during a Democratic Party workshop in Incheon. "Given that Speaker Woo still has family in the North and once joined reunions at Mt. Kumgang, it would be good if the two meet."
However, given the strained inter-Korean ties of recent years, Woo dismissed the possibility of a formal sit-down. "North Korea would never accept such a protocol," he said, adding that any encounter would most likely be limited to a brief greeting at a reception. As floor leader of the Democratic Party in 2018, Woo Won-sik attended a welcome banquet in Pyongyang. At the time, Woo publicly shared that his family had been divided across the border, with two sisters living in North Korea.
Pyongyang confirmed this week that Kim will also attend the parade, which would mark his first appearance on a multilateral diplomatic stage since assuming power. During the visit, Kim is expected to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time since Xi traveled to Pyongyang in June 2019.
With Russian President Vladimir Putin also set to visit Beijing, speculation is mounting over the possibility of a trilateral meeting among Kim, Putin and Xi. Recently, North Korea and Russia have visibly strengthened their ties, holding high-level exchanges and signing defense-related agreements.
China, however, has kept a cautious distance, wary of moving too closely with two heavily sanctioned countries. North Korea remains isolated over its nuclear weapons program, and Russia faces global condemnation over the war in Ukraine. For China, deeper alignment risks straining its global image and complicating its broader diplomatic strategy.
The Russian Embassy in Pyongyang did not respond to Aju Press inquiries about the possibility of a trilateral meeting.
reporter
Cheon Soram
cheons@ajupress.com
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