Leaders of North Korea, Russia, China attend military parade

Leader Kim Jong-un and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu

According to AFP, on June 28, state media reported that leader Kim Jong-un and Russian and Chinese officials watched a North Korean military parade featuring new unmanned attack aircraft and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and KCTV, participating in the "parade" with Mr. Kim Jong-un were Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chinese Politburo member Li Hongzhong, officials witnessed thousands of soldiers marching, followed by North Korea's most powerful ICBMs (including the Hwasong-18), which are banned under UN sanctions, and a new unmanned device (named Haeil) that is said to be able to travel hundreds of kilometers underwater before being detonated.

Previously, on July 26, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un received a Russian military delegation led by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

The two sides exchanged views on issues of mutual concern in the fields of national defense and security, as well as the regional and international security environment, and reached consensus on these issues.

The North Korean leader also conveyed his thanks through Minister Shoigu to Russian President Vladimir Putin for sending a leading military delegation to North Korea to attend the event.

On this occasion, Minister Shoigu also delivered President Putin's letter to leader Kim Jong-un.

Earlier in the day, Minister Soigu held talks with his North Korean counterpart, General Kang Sun-nam, in Pyongyang. The Russian Defense Ministry said that during the talks, Minister Soigu affirmed the continued development of relations between the two countries in all areas.

He expressed confidence that the talks would help strengthen cooperation between the two countries' defense ministries. According to the Russian defense official, Russia-North Korea cooperation is increasingly being strengthened.

Official visits by high-ranking representatives of defense ministries and exchanges of delegations at all levels have contributed to maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Minister Shoigu also stressed that North Korea is an important partner of Russia - a country that shares a border and a rich history of cooperation.

According to Vietnam+