XI, PUTIN, KIM IN BEIJING FOR VICTORY DAY

Welcome to Press Perspective for this Thursday September FOURTH here in Seoul.

I'm Min Sunhee.

The open display of dedication to their diplomatic ties by North Korea's Kim Jong-un his Chinese host Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at Beijing's Victory Day Parade has been making headlines.

For more I have Fabian Kretschmer with German news agency dpa.

Fabian welcome back.

I also have Andrew Salmon with The Washington Times.

Andrew it's been a while.

Great to have you on.

Fabian, let's begin with the short speech shared by Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the start of Wednesday's Victory Day Parade in Beijing and its significance.

Andrew, and before we delve any deeper into that parade and its participants, let's quickly touch upon the response from the U.S. leader to the military parade in Beijing. What has he said, and what are your takeaways?

Fabian, Wednesday's Victory Day Parade followed a summit under the Shanghai Cooperation Organization that began on Sunday and ended on Monday.

Analysts remain divided over the relevance of the SCO with some calling it largely symbolic while others point to its growing significance especially in light of the Trump administration's America First policy.

What have you been hearing?

Andrew, the phrase "a multipolar world" has been thrown around amid the latest SCO in Tianjin . What does the phrase mean under the current status quo, and is the world headed in that direction, do you think?

Fabian, also in China, Russia's Vladimir Putin dismissed claims that he plans to expand his military operation beyond Ukraine and deeper into Europe.

What has been the response to these remarks especially following a recent Russian GPS hacking that targeted that EU leader's plane?

Andrew, here in South Korea, the North Korean leader's presence at China's parade made quite a bit of headlines.

First, what makes Kim Jong-un's attendance at this particular parade in Beijing important?

Fabian, scholars here in the South believe Kim Jong-un may have sought to head to China to coordinate with Xi Jinping a strategy ahead of a potential summit with Donald Trump.

Again, what have you been hearing?

And Fabian, do tell us a bit about the brief encounter between National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik and North Korea's Kim Jong-un in Beijing.

Andrew, Kim Jong-un was accompanied by his daughter Ju-ae to China.

What do you believe is the significance of this reality?

Fabian, this week is proving to be a diplomatic super week for Beijing.

What have been some of the broader gains for China?

And Andrew, what have been the gains for Russia and North Korea this week?

All right.