Beijing: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is set to attend China's upcoming military parade, marking his first visit to China in six years and his first public appearance with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the parade will be held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, celebrated by China as a victory over Japan.
Kim's visit signals a potential thaw in North Korea-China relations, which had been strained due to Pyongyang's close ties with Russia amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The North's Korean Central News Agency confirmed that Kim accepted Xi Jinping's invitation to participate in the commemorative events.
Hong Lei, China's assistant minister of foreign affairs, announced Kim's attendance at the September 3 parade, alongside leaders from 26 other nations, including Putin and South Korean Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik. Leaders from countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, and Iran will also be present, as well as officials from the United States, France, and Britain.
Hong expressed China's readiness to strengthen cooperation with North Korea, aiming to foster regional peace and uphold international justice, which he described as a new chapter in their traditional friendship. Kim's prior visits to China occurred in 2018 and 2019, with meetings held with Xi during each visit.
Experts suggest that Kim's trip could be an effort to mend ties with China in anticipation of a possible conclusion to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which may redirect Moscow's focus. Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, noted that Kim's participation might serve as a platform for multilateral dialogue and possibly pave the way for a North Korea-U.S. summit.
This event will mark Kim's debut at an international gathering and the first time he, Xi, and Putin will appear together since the Cold War. The meeting comes as their countries align against the trilateral cooperation between South Korea, the United States, and Japan.
A notable point of interest is the potential encounter between Kim and South Korean Assembly Speaker Woo, who will be attending the event as the highest-ranking official from South Korea. Although initial plans considered President Lee Jae Myung's attendance, Seoul opted to send Woo in light of its ties with the U.S.
Despite Lee's overtures for dialogue with North Korea since assuming office in June, Pyongyang has consistently rejected them. Observers doubt a meeting between Kim and Woo, given North Korea's continued hostility toward Seoul.
Reports suggest that South Korea is contemplating inviting Kim to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju later this year. During a recent summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, South Korean President Lee expressed the desire to facilitate another meeting between Trump and Kim.
South Korea's presidential chief of staff, Kang Hoon-sik, informed reporters that the government was aware of Kim's planned visit through diplomatic channels before the official announcement. He added that discussions during the Lee-Trump summit were influenced by this development.
Kang emphasized that Seoul views the alignment of North Korea, China, and Russia as a potential catalyst for promoting denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula, affirming the government's commitment to maintaining open channels for inter-Korean dialogue.