Pyongyang: Vietnam’s top leader, To Lam, will visit North Korea to commemorate the 80th founding anniversary of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, as reported by state media on Monday. To Lam’s visit marks a significant diplomatic engagement between the two nations.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Vietnamese leader’s visit comes at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, timed with the party anniversary set for Friday. This visit will be the first by a Vietnamese leader to North Korea in 18 years, highlighting the enduring diplomatic relations between the two countries since they established ties in 1950.

North Korea is anticipated to hold a large-scale military parade to celebrate the party anniversary. The South Korean military previously indicated that the North might organize a nighttime parade involving tens of thousands of personnel.