SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Beijing by train on Tuesday to attend a military parade with his Chinese and Russian counterparts, an event that observers say could potentially demonstrate three-way unity against the United States.
Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin are among the 26 world leaders who will join China’s President Xi Jinping at Wednesday’s massive military parade in Beijing that commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and China’s fight against Japan’s wartime aggressions.
It’s set to be Kim’s first time attending a major multilateral event during his 14-year rule, and the first time Kim, Xi and Putin, all key rivals of the U.S., have gathered at the same venue. None of the three countries have confirmed a private trilateral leaders’ meeting.
North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said Kim was greeted at Beijing railway station by senior Chinese officials. Kim was cited as saying he was pleased to visit China and expressing thanks to Xi and his government for their cordial hospitality.
According to KCNA photos, Kim’s delegation at the Beijing station includes his young daughter, who South Korean intelligence officials view as his likely heir. Since 2022, she has frequently accompanied her father on a slew of major events including missile tests, with state media calling her Kim’s “most beloved” or “respected” child. KCNA earlier said senior officials including Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui were traveling with Kim, but didn’t mention the girl, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae and aged about 13.
