North Korea officially announced Kim Jong-un’s arrival in Beijing through its internal media including the Rodong Sinmun and Korean Central Television.
On the 3rd, the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Workers’ Party of Korea, reported on the front page that “Chairman Kim arrived in Beijing, the capital of the People’s Republic of China, on a special train on the afternoon of the 2nd to attend the 80th anniversary celebration of the victory of China’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War (World War II).”
The newspaper stated, “Chairman Kim disembarked from the special train and warmly greeted the senior leaders of the Chinese party and government,” and added that “the Chinese leaders who came to welcome him enthusiastically greeted Chairman Kim.”
The report included photos of Chairman Kim arriving with his daughter Ju-ae by his side, being received by senior officials such as Cai Qi, Secretary of the Central Secretariat of the Communist Party of China (a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau, 5th in the official hierarchy), and Wang Yi, Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office (concurrently a foreign minister).
Usually, when North Korean internal media mention Chairman Kim’s daughter Ju-ae accompanying him, she is referred to with honorary titles such as “beloved child.” However, no specific mention of Ju-ae was made in this report, similar to the previous day’s report by the Korean Central News Agency.
This visit to China by Chairman Kim is the first in 6 years and 8 months since January 2019. The special train departed from Pyongyang on the 1st and arrived at Beijing Station in the afternoon of the 2nd. The newspaper noted that Ri Ryong Nam, North Korea’s Ambassador to China, and embassy staff were present at the station.
Moreover, it described the atmosphere, stating that the city of Beijing was “engulfed in a welcoming environment filled with the most cordial friendship and enthusiastic reception” as a token of friendship towards Kim visiting China.
After arriving in Beijing, Kim’s first schedule included a visit to the North Korean embassy. On the morning of the 3rd, he would attend the Chinese Victory Day parade in Tiananmen Square along with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.