North Korea’s Kim will meet with Xi and Putin at Chinese military parade

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will visit China next week for the first time in six years to attend a military parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The event, also attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and 24 other foreign leaders, highlights the growing alignment of Beijing, Moscow, and Pyongyang amid U.S. efforts to strengthen ties with South Korea and Japan. The parade, featuring China’s latest weaponry, will be Kim’s first major multilateral appearance since taking power in 2011, signaling North Korea’s expanding international engagement and solidarity with pro‑Russia and pro‑China countries, NPR has reported.