Kim Jong Un Visits New Weapons Factory, Signals Support for Russia’s War Before China Trip

North Korea said that leader Kim Jong Un visited a new weapons factory to accelerate missile production ahead of his first visit to China in six years for a major military parade, AP reported on September 1.

The location of the factory was not disclosed, but it may be in Jagang province, a center of North Korea’s munitions industry near the Chinese border, AP claims.

The parade in Beijing on Wednesday, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and China’s resistance against Japanese aggression, will host 26 foreign leaders, including Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

The event highlights a three-way alignment between Pyongyang, Beijing, and Moscow against US-led security efforts in South Korea and Japan, according to AP.

Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim inspected factory assembly lines, praised scientists and workers, and approved plans to increase missile production.

South Korean officials say North Korea has been ramping up munitions output and sending troops and equipment to support Russia’s war in Ukraine, making Moscow a key partner in Kim’s foreign policy.

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Observers note that Kim’s attendance at the Beijing parade also aims to reinforce ties with China, North Korea’s largest trading partner, while boosting his leverage for possible future negotiations with the US and South Korea.

North Korea has so far publicly dismissed outreach from President Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

Previously, it was reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has praised is country’s troops deployed to support Russia in its war against Ukraine, calling them part of a “heroic army,” according to the official KCNA, reported by Channel News Asia.

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