Russian and Chinese delegations at a military parade in North Korea

North Korea organized a paramilitary parade today, Friday, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the declaration of the North Korean regime, attended by Russian and Chinese delegations, under the watchful eye of leader Kim Jong Un, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. The event was a showParamilitary forcesNot regular army soldiers as usual. It appears that he did not display banned weapons, such as intercontinental ballistic missiles.

State media photos showed uniformed paramilitary brigades, some on big red tractors or trucks, as the president and his daughter clapped and smiled.

Strengthening the Russian presence in North Korea

processionOn September 8, Kim Il Sung Square in the capital, Pyongyang, celebrated the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.The Korean Central News Agency explained, using North Korea’s official name.

Kim Jong Un met with the Chinese delegation headed by Liu Guozhong, Vice Premier of the State Council. This is the second visit in six weeks by senior Chinese officials, as Pyongyang eases its border controls to combat Covid-19. The two parties declared their intention to continueand intensify coordination and cooperation» between the two countries, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency.

Russian diplomats also participated in the event, as well as a Russian military dance and song troupe that came to Pyongyang for the occasion, according to KCNA.

Moscow beefed up its official presence in North Korea shortly before the parade, with its embassy in Pyongyang saying this week it had received permission to bring in 20 diplomats and technicians, the first staff rotation since 2019.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent Kim Jong Un a letter to celebrate the anniversary, in which he called on the two countries to “Developing bilateral relations in all fields“,” the Korean Central News Agency reported on Saturday. According to Chinese state media, President Xi Jinping “He congratulated Kim Jong Un in a phone callOn the occasion of this anniversary.