Overview

• Kim stood on the Tiananmen Square rostrum with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, with state media images showing Xi greeting both leaders before they took their positions.
• China staged a 70‑minute spectacle marking 80 years since Japan’s defeat, unveiling modern jet fighters, missiles, drones and electronic warfare systems in rare public displays.
• None of the three governments confirmed a private trilateral summit, though reports said bilateral meetings involving Kim, Xi and Putin were under consideration.
• South Korea’s National Intelligence Service assessed that Kim seeks to expand his diplomatic room by restoring relations with China and obtaining economic assistance.
• Seoul’s assessments say North Korea has sent roughly 15,000 troops to Russia with about 2,000 combat deaths, and KCNA reported Kim reviewed a ‘next‑generation’ ICBM engine before departing.