Kim Jong Un Embarks on Journey to Beijing for Victory Day Parade

Kim Jong Un, the Supreme Leader of North Korea, is set to participate in the upcoming Victory Day parade, on Wednesday. This gathering will include global leaders such as Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. This significant event has led to Kim Jong Un departing the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, on Monday. His destination: the celebratory military parade in Beijing that marks the victory over the Axis forces eight decades ago.

The North Korean leader started his journey on a 24-hour armored train ride on Monday evening. This event holds historical significance as it is the first time a North Korean leader has attended a parade in China since Kim Jong Un’s grandfather did so over six decades ago, back in 1959.

At the parade, Kim Jong Un will be standing with two other prominent world leaders, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. These powerful figures will be at the Tiananmen rostrum during the parade which glorifies the cessation of the Second World War eighty years ago.

The North Korean diplomacy front was well-represented in this event. In attendance with Kim Jong Un is North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui along with several other high-ranking officials from the government and party who accompanied their Supreme Leader in his journey to Beijing.

Interestingly, the roster of leaders scheduled for parade viewing extends beyond North Korea, China, and Russia. Leaders from a wide array of countries, including Iran, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam were all set to be in attendance. The global representation at this event showcases the historical and cultural importance of this Victory Day parade.

However, there’s a noticeable lack of presence from Western nations at this event, a direct consequence of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Thus, despite the parade being a global event, current geopolitical tensions have had a clear impact on participation and representation.

The scale of the event is impressive, with tens of thousands of military personnel scheduled to perform in a tightly choreographed, synchronized march for the duration of the approximately 70-minute parade. This large-scale presentation is a testament to the magnitude and significance the event holds.

This isn’t Kim Jong Un’s first international visit. In fact, it marks his ninth foreign journey since becoming Supreme Leader in 2018. His participation in such international events indicates North Korea’s intent to maintain an active role in global affairs despite its generally reclusive nature.

Interestingly, Kim Jong Un decided to embark on the journey by train rather than plane. Despite having the option of a considerably quicker one-hour flight to Beijing, Kim chose to travel via his exclusive train. It features bulletproof windows and is specifically constructed to resist potential mortar attacks.

There’s a historical context to Kim Jong Un’s choice of travel. The North Korean leader follows in the footsteps of his father who also favored travel by a private armored train. This was typically due to his aversion to flying. This anecdote sheds light on a somewhat personal aspect of North Korea’s leadership.