(6th LD) Kim joins Putin, Xi at military parade, in display of defiance against West

▲ This photo by Tass shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (R, front), Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (L, front) walking shoulder to shoulder ahead of a military parade at Tiananmen Square on Sept. 3, 2025. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ This photo by Kyodo News shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (R), Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) and Russian President Vladimir Putin standing next to each other during a military parade at Tiananmen Square on Sept. 3, 2025. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ This image from EPA shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un from (R), Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Sept. 2, 2025. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ This image by Kyodo News shows Chinese troops marching during a military parade at Tiananmen Square on Sept. 3, 2025. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) arrives in Beijing on Sept. 2, 2025, in this photo released by Xinhua News Agency. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

(6th LD) NK leader-military parade

(6th LD) Kim joins Putin, Xi at military parade, in display of defiance against West

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info throughout)

By Park Boram

BEIJING/SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stood shoulder to shoulder with Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping at center stage at a military parade in Beijing on Wednesday, marking the first such meeting among leaders of Pyongyang, Moscow and Beijing in 66 years.

The spectacle of Kim standing with Putin and Xi at the viewing gallery of Tiananmen Square marks a major display of their trilateral solidarity in defiance of the West, led by the United States.

Wearing a black business suit and a gold-colored tie, Kim joined Xi and Putin on the center stage at the rostrum for top-level guests as the parade kicked off with elaborate ceremonies at Tiananmen Square -- a historic moment showcasing solidarity among China, Russia and North Korea.

Putin was seated on Xi's right and Kim on his left, with Xi occasionally turning toward Kim to talk, their bodies angled toward each other.

Earlier, Xi welcomed him into the square, shaking hands with him alongside other state leaders arriving at the venue, including Putin, before moving toward the rostrum.

Xi spent more time greeting Kim and Putin, lightly touching their arms in a show of closeness.

The three leaders again walked side by side along the red-carpeted path to the rostrum, occasionally smiling as they talked before shaking hands one by one with Chinese veterans.

After the parade, the three leaders attended a reception at the nearby Great Hall of the People, appearing together once again.

It marks the first time leaders of the three socialist countries have come together in 66 years, since North Korean founder Kim Il-sung, Chinese founder Mao Zedong and former Soviet Union Prime Minister Nikita Khrushchev jointly attended a similar military parade in 1959 at the square.

It's also the first gathering of Kim, Xi and Putin -- three leaders known for their defiance of the United States -- in what would be a strong signal to the world about their trilateral solidarity vis a vis the U.S.-led unipolar world order.

In a speech at the parade, Xi said that the Chinese people's rejuvenation is "unstoppable," adding that humanity is once again faced with a choice between war or peace.

He said the Chinese people will adhere to the path of peaceful development and build a community with a shared future with the rest of the world, as China showcased its military strength at the parade, including its latest weaponry and well-drilled troops.

The military parade marks the 80th anniversary of what China celebrates as its victory over Japan and the end of World War II.

U.S. President Donald Trump described the parade as Kim, Putin and Xi conspiring against Washington, writing a message on his social media account addressed to Xi: "Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against the United States of America."

It also marks a historic moment for Kim, whose presence represents his first appearance at an international event, effectively debuting on the multilateral diplomatic stage.

His rare decision to attend the Chinese military parade is widely seen as an effort to restore traditionally close ties with China and shed his long-standing pariah image.

With bilateral summits and the signing of a mutual defense treaty last year, Kim and Putin have rapidly deepened military ties in recent years, prompting Pyongyang to deploy troops and weapons to support Moscow's war against Ukraine and straining its ties with Beijing.

Once the Russia-Ukraine war comes to an end, Moscow's focus could shift westward, away from Pyongyang, along with its economic assistance, increasing Kim's need to turn back to China as the main supplier of diplomatic and economic support to North Korea.

South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) assessed that Kim's trip is aimed at "expanding his room to maneuver by restoring North Korea-China relations and securing China's economic assistance to buoy his regime."

Some also suggest that Kim may be seeking to recover relations with China in a bid to leverage them to strengthen his bargaining position ahead of a potential resumption of negotiations with the U.S.

From South Korea, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik is attending, with attention on whether he will secure a rare meeting with Kim, even if only briefly.

The NIS has predicted that Kim may hold separate summits with Xi and Putin on the sidelines, although the chances of a three-way summit remain low.

Aboard his private armored train, Kim arrived in Beijing the previous day, accompanied by his daughter, Ju-ae, reported to be his heir apparent, on a trip that took nearly a day.

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