North Korean Leader Kicks Off Journey for Beijing Military Parade

(MENAFN) A special armored train carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un crossed into China early Tuesday, marking the start of his journey to Beijing for a military parade. This visit will see Kim making his debut at a multilateral diplomatic event.

Having departed from Pyongyang on Monday, Kim is expected to arrive in Beijing later on Tuesday. The trip spans approximately 1,300 kilometers (807 miles), typically taking between 20 and 24 hours. Kim will be attending a high-profile military parade in the Chinese capital on Wednesday, where he will join Russian President Vladimir Putin and other state leaders from 26 countries. The event commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, an occasion China marks as its victory over Japan.

This will be the first time Kim participates in a multilateral diplomatic gathering since ascending to power in late 2011. China's President Xi Jinping is slated to deliver a speech during the event. Notably, Kim's grandfather, Kim Il-Sung, North Korea’s founding leader, attended a similar military parade in Beijing in 1959.

Meanwhile, as Kim crossed into China, South Korea’s intelligence reported that at least 2,000 North Korean soldiers were killed during the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to media. This claim follows two separate ceremonies held by Pyongyang last month, which honored North Korean casualties in the conflict.

North Korea had previously sent thousands of soldiers to assist Russia’s military efforts against Ukraine, which continues to receive substantial support from Western nations. During the ceremonies, portraits of 101 fallen soldiers were displayed on a memorial wall, and their families were given the portraits in tribute. However, Pyongyang has yet to provide an official total for the number of fallen soldiers.

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