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(Bloomberg) — A month after joining President Xi Jinping at a military parade in Beijing, Kim Jong Un put on a show of his own to demonstrate North Korea’s growing diplomatic reach.
Pyongyang celebrated 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 signal that after years of isolation and sanctions, he is pushing to reestablish North Korea on the world stage.
“The heroic fighting spirit and victories achieved by our armed forces in foreign 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 by state media KCNA.
The North Korean leader welcomed a high-profile lineup of guests: China’s Prime Minister Li Keqiang, 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 nearly 20 years; and Laotian President Thongloun Sisolith.
The gathering showed how global power transitions are giving Kim new room for maneuver. As Russia’s war in Ukraine escalates and tensions between China and the United States escalate, North Korean leaders are looking for new opportunities to break out of isolation and align themselves with countries that challenge the Western-led order.
During the week, Kim met with Li and thanked Xi for sending the high-level delegation, calling it proof of China’s “indispensable support”. Li reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to closer ties, with both sides promising to expand dialogue, strategic communication and cooperation in a number of areas.
Last month, Kim appeared with Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a military parade in Beijing – the first time a North Korean leader had attended a multilateral diplomatic event in nearly half a century. The image of Kim standing shoulder to shoulder with his most powerful allies signaled a new level of confidence and ambition.
Friday’s parade was also a display of North Korea’s growing arsenal. Many of the weapons on display were the same types used by Russia in the 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 presence at the parade reflects Kim’s ambition to expand and modernize his nuclear deterrent capability.
With North Korean troops reportedly sent to the front lines in Ukraine, Kim’s forces have also gained experience in modern battlefield tactics. That experience could strengthen Pyongyang’s own capabilities and add a new dimension to its military strategy.
Beyond firepower, the sight of foreign dignitaries on the stage reflected a leader’s transformation over 40 years. When Kim took power in 2011 after his father’s death, many doubted his ability to rule a country where seniority mattered greatly. Today’s image stands in stark contrast to the pandemic years, when Kim sealed the country’s borders and watched the economy collapse.
Kim has been more internationally known than his predecessors. His father, Kim Jong Il, limited his international engagements to bilateral talks during his 17-year rule, including meetings with his counterparts from China, Russia, Japan, Indonesia and South Korea. His grandfather Kim Il Sung established the regime more than seven decades ago.
Kim Jong Un had said in September that he was ready to meet Trump again if America gives up its demand for nuclear disarmament. Trump, who is expected to visit South Korea this month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, has said he would like to meet Kim this year, touting their “very good relationship.” It is not clear whether the two sides are discussing a possible meeting.
–With assistance from Jon Herskowitz, Justin Chin, and Jaehyun Eom.
More stories like this are available on Bloomberg.com
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