Leaders of N. Korea, China and Russia show rare unity at China’s Victory Day

Welcome to Within The Frame where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus, I'm Kim Mok-yeon.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has made a rare overseas appearance, joining China's Victory Day celebrations in Beijing.

It's the first time in over six decades that a North Korean leader has attended a Chinese parade, underscoring the moment's symbolism.

Kim was seen alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin — the first such gathering since the Cold War.

On the sidelines, Kim and Putin also held a bilateral summit, where Putin thanked North Korean troops for fighting in Ukraine and pledged new agreements.

Amid these developments, the question now is what this rare moment of unity means for the Korean Peninsula and the wider region.

To help us unpack this, we're joined by Go Myong-hyun, Senior Research Fellow at Institute for National Security Strategy. Welcome back.

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Also joining us online is Frank Jannuzi, President & CEO at The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation. Good to see you.

1. (Go) Let's begin with the big picture. Kim Jong-un, attended China's Victory Day military parade.

Dr. Go, do tell us about the background and significance of Kim's participation.

2. (Jannuzi) Building on that, just before the visit, North Korea revealed Kim's inspection of a missile production line and an ICBM research facility, and even made public the details of his train departure.

Why do you think Pyongyang unusually disclosed Kim's movements so quickly this time?

3. (Jannuzi) Adding to the intrigue, Kim Jong-un's daughter, Kim Ju-ae, also accompanied him on this trip to China.

What can we read into this?

4. (Go) Turning to China's role, this trip marks Kim's first visit to China in more than 6 years.

Dr.Go, why do you think China is now seeking to restore ties with North Korea?

Do you see the once-distant relationship improving, especially after the closer alignment between North Korea and Russia?

5. (Jannuzi) On the international stage, attention also focused on the rare gathering of the leaders of North Korea, China, and Russia at the parade.

It was the first time in 66 years that leaders of the three sides stood together. What message did this send to the international community?

Should this be seen as a formal declaration of a new trilateral alignment?

6. (Go) Alongside the parade, Kim Jong-un and President Putin also held a bilateral summit — their first in over a year.

President Putin even took the occasion to thank North Korean troops and spoke of 'new agreements.'

How significant was this summit, and what does it reveal about the deepening ties between Pyongyang and Moscow?

7. (Jannuzi) In the past, Kim visited China before holding summits with the United States. Some wonder if this trip could be a sign of another round of U.S.–North Korea dialogue.

But with President Putin now openly thanking North Korean troops for helping fight Ukraine, is such a dialogue still realistic?

8. (Go) On another note, this Victory Day event was also Kim Jong-un's debut on the multilateral diplomatic stage.

I wonder how do you evaluated his performance Dr.Go? And do you expect Kim to now embark on a broader diplomatic push?

9. (Jannuzi) Turning to South Korea's role — unlike most U.S. allies, which either sent low-level envoys or stayed away, Seoul dispatched National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik to the Victory Day ceremony.

Does this reflect the Lee Jae Myung administration's pragmatic diplomacy? And in the midst of intensifying great power rivalry, what kind of foreign policy direction should Seoul pursue?

10. (Go) Finally, With Kim Jong-un's visit to China, many argue that the South Korean government must now reshape its North Korea policy.

How should Seoul respond to a North Korea that is seeking to expand into multilateral diplomacy?