North Korea this week unlocked its perimeters to visitors for the first time since the pandemic started, with a clear message. Pyongyang has friends in Beijing and Moscow, despite the U.S.-led efforts to isolate all of them.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, flanked by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chinese Politburo associate Li Hongzhong, watched a huge military occasion marking the 70th anniversary of the Korean War truce agreement, according to photos released by North Korean state media on Friday.
At Thursday’s night parade, North Korea showcased new drones and some of its new missiles that are designed to carry nuclear warheads, state media informed.
Earlier in the week. Kim guided Shoigu through a defense exhibit featuring ballistic missiles that are banned by the U.N. Security Council resolutions were originally adopted with support from Russia and China. In recent years, Beijing and Moscow have hampered the council’s struggles to punish North Korea after repeated tests of the banned missiles.
Meanwhile, the United States, South Korea and Japan are increasing their security cooperation in the face of North Korean threats against missiles, and the leaders of the three countries are expected next month to hold their first summit not on the sidelines of a multilateral forum.
At the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s daily press briefings this week, spokeswoman Mao Ning emphasized the historical ties between the neighbors.
“Our two parties and the two countries have had a good tradition of friendly exchanges,” Mao told reporters at a news conference on Tuesday. “Having a high-level Chinese delegation visit the DPRK and mark the occasion shows the high importance both sides attach to our bilateral ties,” she said, using the abbreviation for North Korea’s official name.
China’s new ambassador to North Korea, Wang Yajun, was also in attendance at the 70th anniversary banquet, according to state media. Wang, who took up his post in March, is believed to be the first foreign diplomat to be accredited to Pyongyang since the pandemic.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, flanked by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chinese Politburo associate Li Hongzhong, watched a huge military occasion marking the 70th anniversary of the Korean War truce agreement, according to photos released by North Korean state media on Friday.
At Thursday’s night parade, North Korea showcased new drones and some of its new missiles that are designed to carry nuclear warheads, state media informed.
Earlier in the week. Kim guided Shoigu through a defense exhibit featuring ballistic missiles that are banned by the U.N. Security Council resolutions were originally adopted with support from Russia and China. In recent years, Beijing and Moscow have hampered the council’s struggles to punish North Korea after repeated tests of the banned missiles.
Meanwhile, the United States, South Korea and Japan are increasing their security cooperation in the face of North Korean threats against missiles, and the leaders of the three countries are expected next month to hold their first summit not on the sidelines of a multilateral forum.
At the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s daily press briefings this week, spokeswoman Mao Ning emphasized the historical ties between the neighbors.
“Our two parties and the two countries have had a good tradition of friendly exchanges,” Mao told reporters at a news conference on Tuesday. “Having a high-level Chinese delegation visit the DPRK and mark the occasion shows the high importance both sides attach to our bilateral ties,” she said, using the abbreviation for North Korea’s official name.
China’s new ambassador to North Korea, Wang Yajun, was also in attendance at the 70th anniversary banquet, according to state media. Wang, who took up his post in March, is believed to be the first foreign diplomat to be accredited to Pyongyang since the pandemic.
