Kim Jong Un Travels to China for World War II Commemoration

Kim Jong Un's Journey to China

On Monday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un departed from Pyongyang heading to China to participate in a military parade commemorating the conclusion of World War II, as reported by local media.

According to reports, Kim is traveling on a special train and is expected to reach Beijing by Tuesday. This marks his first international trip since his visit to Russia for discussions with President Putin earlier in 2023.

While in Beijing, Kim is anticipated to attend the parade alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

As per North Korean state media, Xi Jinping extended the invitation to Kim, which was reported by Yonhap News on August 28.

The Korean Central News Agency stated that Kim will visit China at Xi Jinping's invitation to take part in the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Chinese state media outlet Xinhua mentioned that 26 foreign leaders are set to attend the V-Day celebrations in Beijing. The event will feature tens of thousands of military personnel marching through the iconic Tiananmen Square, with Xi overseeing the parade.

During a press briefing in Beijing, China's Assistant Foreign Minister Hong Lei expressed a warm welcome to Kim, highlighting the traditional friendship between China and North Korea.