North Korea’s Kim Jong Un visits Chinese military cemetery ahead of Victory Day

[1/5]North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army Martyrs’ cemetery in this photo released on July 26, 2023 by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA via REUTERS

SEOUL, July 26 (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a cemetery for Chinese soldiers who fought in the Korean War, state media KCNA reported on Wednesday.

His visit, accompanied by his powerful sister, Kim Yo Jong, comes ahead of the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Korean War truce on Thursday, which is celebrated as “Victory Day” in North Korea, often with a grandiose military parade.

The move comes as the nuclear-armed, reclusive state has been gearing up for the upcoming ceremony, inviting Chinese and Russian delegations as the first such public visitors since the start of the pandemic.

South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities were “closely monitoring” the situation and there had been an increase in manpower and equipment, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff told a briefing on Tuesday when asked about the ceremony.

Kim also visited the Fatherland Liberation War Martyrs Cemetery on Monday, KCNA reported, as he touted the soldiers as “inflicting defeat” on U.S. imperialism.

The Great Fatherland Liberation War is a name used by Pyongyang to refer to the Korean War.

Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Editing by Sandra Maler

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