Aug. 28 (UPI) -- China's foreign ministry announced Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would attend a military parade in Beijing to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Asia.
The invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping makes the pair the guests of honor on a roster of two dozen world leaders traveling for Wednesday's event in Tiananmen Square that includes Myanmar Military Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing and pro-Russian European heads.
The surprise attendance of Kim, who has only left North Korea on 10 occasions in the 14 years since coming to power in 2011, was confirmed by the state-run KCNA news agency.
Putin's invitation was in reciprocation for the invite he extended to Xi to attend Russia's own commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the war back in May.
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