BEIJING: Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, attended the grand “Victory Day” parade in Beijing alongside his daughter, Kim Joo-ae. The parade, held today (Wednesday), was also attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and other world leaders. Published images show Kim disembarking from his armored train at Beijing railway station with his daughter. Previously, South Korean intelligence had identified her as the “most likely” successor to Kim Jong Un. Since her public debut in November 2022, Kim has frequently included his daughter in public events, although little information is available about her. Reports regarding her age are inconsistent, but South Korean intelligence indicated in 2023 that she is around 10 years old. According to the North Korean state news agency, several senior members of the Chinese Communist Party, including Foreign Minister Wang Yi, welcomed Kim at the railway station, where he expressed gratitude to the Chinese President for the “warm hospitality.” Kim Jong Un traveled to China on his armored train, which consists of around 90 carriages including conference, meeting, and sleeping rooms—a tradition inherited from his grandfather and father. This marks the first appearance of a North Korean leader at a military parade in China since 1959 and signifies an enhancement of relations between the two countries compared to the last “Victory Day” parade in 2015.
