A month after joining President Xi Jinping at a military parade in Beijing, Kim Jong Un staged a show of his own to showcase North Korea’s growing diplomatic reach.
Pyongyang marked the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea on Friday with a display that went beyond the usual missiles and marching troops. Kim used the event to project confidence and to signal that after years of isolation and sanctions, he’s pushing to reassert North Korea on the world stage.
“The heroic fighting spirit and victories achieved by our armed forces on overseas battlefields for international justice and genuine peace fully demonstrate the ideological and spiritual perfection of our military,” Kim said at the parade, according to a report from state media KCNA.
The North Korean leader welcomed a high-profile lineup of guests: China’s Premier Li Qiang, the most senior Chinese official to visit since 2019; a Russian delegation led by former President Dmitry Medvedev; Vietnam’s Communist Party chief To Lam, who became his country’s first top leader to visit Pyongyang in almost 20 years; and Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith.
The gathering showed how global power shifts are giving Kim new room to maneuver. As Russia’s war in Ukraine grinds on and tensions rise between China and the US, the North Korean leader is finding fresh opportunities to break out of isolation and align himself with countries challenging the Western-led order.
During the week, Kim met with Li and thanked Xi for sending a high-level delegation, calling it proof of China’s “invariable support.” Li reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to closer ties, with both sides pledging to expand talks, strategic communication and cooperation across multiple sectors.
Last month, Kim appeared alongside Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a military parade in Beijing — the first time in about half a century that a North Korean leader had joined a multilateral diplomatic event. The image of Kim standing shoulder to shoulder with his most powerful allies signaled a new level of confidence and ambition.
Weapons on Display
The parade Friday was also a showcase of North Korea’s expanding arsenal. Many of the weapons on display were of the same types used by Russia in its war against Ukraine, underscoring the deepening military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang.
The highlight was the debut of the Hwasong-20, a new intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the US mainland. Its appearance at the parade reflects Kim’s ambitions to expand and modernize his nuclear deterrent.
Kim’s military has also gained exposure to modern battlefield tactics, with North Korean troops reportedly sent to the front lines in Ukraine. That experience could strengthen Pyongyang’s own capabilities and add a new dimension to its military strategy.
Beyond the firepower, the sight of foreign dignitaries on the podium captured the transformation of a leader now in his 40s. When Kim took power after his father’s death in 2011, many doubted his ability to rule a country where seniority mattered deeply. The image today stands in contrast to the pandemic years, when Kim sealed off the country’s borders and watched the economy collapse.
Kim has been more internationally visible than his predecessors. His father, Kim Jong Il, limited his international engagements to bilateral talks, including meetings with his counterparts from China, Russia, Japan, Indonesia and South Korea during his 17-year rule. His grandfather, Kim Il Sung, founded the regime more than seven decades ago.
Kim Jong Un said in September he’s open to meeting with Trump again if the US drops its denuclearization demands. Trump, who’s expected to visit South Korea this month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, has said he’d like to meet Kim this year, touting their “very good relationship.” It’s unclear if the two sides are discussing a possible meeting.
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