North Korean leader Kim Jong Un welcomed high-profile foreign guests, including Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Russia’s former President Dmitry Medvedev, as the country marked 80 years under the rule of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), state media reported on Friday.
In a message praising “friendly and cooperative” ties with China, Kim highlighted the growing alignment between Pyongyang, Beijing, and Moscow amid shifting global alliances. The celebrations are expected to culminate in a major military parade showcasing advanced weaponry, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
China remains North Korea’s closest ally and economic lifeline, though the relationship has seen tensions due to Pyongyang’s ongoing nuclear ambitions. Nonetheless, Kim hailed Premier Li’s visit as a sign of Beijing’s “invariable support and special friendly feeling towards the WPK and the government and people of the DPRK.”
The visit comes at a time of deepening trilateral ties between North Korea, China, and Russia. Kim’s regime has grown more assertive, reportedly sending thousands of troops to support Russian forces in Ukraine — a move that has further tightened its bond with Moscow.
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A joint statement released by KCNA on Thursday revealed that Russia’s ruling party expressed “firm support” for North Korea’s actions to strengthen its military capabilities.
South Korea’s military said there was a “high chance” of a Friday night parade, noting the mobilisation of missiles and equipment in recent rehearsals. Although light rain was forecast, defence officials said it was unlikely to disrupt the event significantly, except for any planned aerial displays.
On Thursday evening, North Korea held mass games and a grand performance at Pyongyang’s May Day Stadium, attended by Kim, Medvedev, and Vietnam’s Communist Party chief To Lam. In his address, Kim declared, “Our people are standing in front of the world as powerful beings who know no insurmountable difficulties and no unachievable cause.”
The event underscores North Korea’s continued effort to project strength and legitimacy on the world stage, especially as discussions swirl around a possible U.S.–North Korea meeting at this year’s APEC summit in South Korea.
While former U.S. President Donald Trump famously met with Kim three times, no lasting agreement was reached on denuclearisation. Since then, Pyongyang has declared itself an “irreversible” nuclear power and has dismissed calls for negotiations unless sanctions are lifted.
Speaking to AFP, Sergey Radchenko, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, said: “Kim’s greatest concern is how to assure the continued survival and the international acceptance of his regime. So in this sense, a multi-vector diplomacy that includes China, in addition to Russia, makes sense.”
As North Korea continues to solidify ties with two of the world’s most powerful authoritarian states, the region — and the wider international community — watches closely.
