North Korean Leader to Attend China’s Military Parade Next Week

The Sept. 3 parade in Beijing offers a rare opportunity for Kim Jong Un to appear in public alongside leaders from Russia and China.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (center L) and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (center R) visit the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Amur region in Russia on Sept. 13, 2023. Mikhail Metzel/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will attend a grand military parade in Beijing next week, the two countries announced on Aug. 28. The event offers Kim a rare opportunity to appear in public alongside his Russian and Chinese counterparts. 

A total of 26 foreign heads of state and governments will attend the Sept. 3 parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Hong Lei, China’s assistant minister of foreign affairs, said at a briefing in Beijing.