SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un crossed into China early Tuesday aboard his armored train, bound for Beijing to attend China's "Victory Day" military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim "left Pyongyang by his train" on Monday to join the parade, and the train "passed the border early in the morning on September 2," accompanied by senior ruling party officials.
Photographs released by the state media showed Kim inside his private train with Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and senior party official Kim Song-nam. Other images showed him smoking outside the train while speaking with aides.
Neither his wife Ri Sol-ju, daughter Ju-ae, nor sister Kim Yo-jong were mentioned in the statements or seen in the photos.
Pyongyang rarely confirms a leader’s overseas trip right after departure. When Kim traveled to Russia in 2023, the announcement came two days later.
Kim's train is believed to have crossed the Yalu River bridge linking Sinuiju and the Chinese city of Dandong, with his delegation expected to arrive in Beijing on Tuesday. He is scheduled to attend the military parade on Wednesday, joining Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The parade is seen as underscoring a broader geopolitical divide, casting China, North Korea, and Russia on one side against Japan, South Korea, and the U.S. For the first time in 66 years, the leaders of the three countries, linked by Cold-War era ties, will share the same stage.
According to the Kremlin, Xi will take center position on the reviewing stand at Tiananmen Square with Putin on his right and Kim on his left. Such arrangements are carefully staged to signal political closeness. Positioning Kim and Putin directly beside Xi highlights China’s effort to showcase a united front with its two closest partners, sending a message to Washington and its allies.
Kim's trip is also seen as a possible opening for renewed dialogue with the U.S., recalling his meetings with Xi ahead of summits with then-President Donald Trump.
This would be Kim's first appearance on a multilateral diplomatic stage since assuming power in late 2011. Until now, his overseas visits have been limited to bilateral summits in China, Russia, and the U.S.
reporter
Cheon Soram
cheons@ajupress.com
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.
View more comments