Pyongyang’s leader is due to join Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing to attend a huge military parade.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will be joined by Russian President Vladimir Putin in a visit to China to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, when Chinese communist and nationalist forces helped to defeat a Japanese army of occupation.Why It Matters
Neighboring China has been North Korea’s steadfast ally and most important trade partner for decades, although Kim has also developed close relations with Russia over the past couple of years, even sending arms and troops to help Moscow in its war against Ukraine.
Kim, like his father and grandfather before him, both of whom led North Korea, rarely travels abroad.What To Know
North Korean state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Kim would visit China at the invitation of its leader, Xi Jinping, «to participate in celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War [WWII].»
KCNA did not give dates for the visit, but China’s Victory Day is held on September 3 when, this year, an elaborate military parade is being planned for the capital, Beijing.
