Kim Jong-un travels to Beijing by armored train

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un traveled to China by armored train to attend the victory day parade in Beijing.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un departed from Pyongyang station on 1/9 to attend a military parade commemorating victory day with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and 24 other world leaders, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (left) prepares to depart from Pyongyang station to Beijing on 1/9. Photo: KCNA

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (left) prepares to depart from Pyongyang station to Beijing on 1/9. Photo: KCNA

South Korea's National Intelligence Service reported that the armored train carrying Kim crossed the border into China on Tuesday morning. AFP reporters confirmed the train's arrival at Beijing station on Tuesday afternoon. The victory day parade will take place at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on 3/9.

This marks Kim's first attendance at a major multilateral event since taking power, and the first time he, the Russian, and Chinese leaders have gathered together.

Kim is accompanied by high-ranking officials, including North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, according to KCNA. Pyongyang, Beijing, and Moscow have not confirmed the possibility of a trilateral meeting between the leaders on the sidelines of the event.

President Putin arrived in China over the weekend for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and the victory day parade. Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov stated a meeting between Putin and Kim during the event "is being considered."