On October 10, North Korea celebrated the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party. The government noted that this year saw an unprecedented large-scale visit from high-ranking foreign officials.
During a regular press briefing, Unification Ministry Deputy Spokesperson Jang Yoon-jung stated that senior officials from China, Russia, Vietnam, and Laos have visited North Korea to take part in the commemorative events marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party. This is the first time they have witnessed such a significant delegation of high-ranking foreign dignitaries.
To mark this milestone, Chinese Premier Li Qiang—the second-highest-ranking official in China—made the first visit by a Chinese premier to North Korea in 16 years. Vietnam’s top leader, Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, also visited for the first time in 18 years. Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith likewise made the trip, marking the first visit by a Laotian head of state in 14 years. This diverse representation stands in contrast to previous years when primarily Chinese officials attended North Korea’s founding celebrations.
Deputy Spokesperson Jang also addressed the seating arrangement at the 80th-anniversary gala held the previous evening. She mentioned that Premier Li sat to the right of Kim Jong Un, the Workers’ Party General Secretary, while General Secretary Trong was seated to his left. Next to Trong sat Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin. In response to speculation about Russia being sidelined, Jang commented that as the event is still ongoing, it will continue to monitor the situation closely.
Jang further reported that, as of that morning, no military parade had been scheduled in North Korea, adding that it will keep a close eye on related developments. She noted that the main itineraries of the foreign guests extend through October 11, and based on historical precedent, military parades have sometimes been held in the afternoon on the anniversary day itself, suggesting that a parade could occur later that day.
Regarding the possibility of a speech by Kim during a potential military parade and potential external messaging, Jang stated that it will refrain from making assumptions and will carefully observe the developments.