(LEAD) Laos' leader to visit N. Korea to mark key party anniv.: KCNA

▲ This photo, provided by Russia's Tass news agency on July 31, 2025, shows Laos' President Thongloun Sisoulith, who visited Moscow to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) Laos-N Korea

(LEAD) Laos' leader to visit N. Korea to mark key party anniv.: KCNA

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details throughout; CHANGES photo)

SEOUL, Oct. 2 (Yonhap) -- Laos' President Thongloun Sisoulith will visit North Korea to mark the 80th founding anniversary of the North's ruling Workers' Party of Korea, state media reported Thursday.

The Laotian leader will visit the North at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the occasion of the party anniversary set for Oct. 10, the Korean Central News Agency reported in a short dispatch.

He has become the first foreign guest confirmed by the North who will attend the upcoming party anniversary.

Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's deputy chairman of the security council, is widely expected to travel to North Korea to attend the celebrations.

Reuters earlier reported that Vietnam's Community Party chief To Lam is also expected to visit the North in October in what would be the first trip to North Korea by a Vietnamese leader in nearly 20 years. But Vietnam and North Korea have yet to confirm his potential visit.

North Korea is expected to hold a large-scale military parade to celebrate the party anniversary. The South Korean military said Thursday the North may stage a nighttime parade involving tens of thousands of personnel.

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