Overview

• China’s foreign ministry and North Korea’s KCNA confirmed Kim’s attendance at the Tiananmen Square event marking 80 years since Japan’s surrender, at Xi Jinping’s invitation.
• Beijing says 26 foreign leaders are invited, with Slovakia’s Robert Fico the only Western leader expected to attend.
• South Korea will be represented by National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, and Seoul says it was informed of Kim’s plan through diplomatic channels.
• The parade is expected to be one of China’s largest in years, showcasing advanced military systems including fighter jets, missile-defense platforms and hypersonic weapons.
• Details of Kim’s itinerary, including any bilateral or three-way meetings with Xi and Putin, have not been announced, against a backdrop of UN sanctions on North Korea and its deepening ties with Russia.