At a high-profile event on Thursday marking the founding of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party, leader Kim Jong Un claimed the country’s global stature was rising steadily, as reported by state media on Friday. The event was attended by several visiting foreign heads of state.
Kim honoured the legacy of the party that he said had made “not a single mistake or error” in its 80-year history, leading the country on a path of ascent riding on the wisdom and strength of the people, KCNA state news agency said.
“Today, we stand before the world as a mighty people with no obstacles we cannot overcome and no great achievement we cannot accomplish,” he said at a speech at May Day stadium in Pyongyang attended by high-level foreign delegations, KCNA reported.
The events come after Kim’s visit to Beijing last month for China’s 80th anniversary of World War Two victory, standing with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a massive military parade in his first public appearance on the multilateral diplomatic stage.
Concealed Guest List
KCNA did not name the guests attending Thursday’s events. Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Vietnamese leader To Lam and Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev had arrived in Pyongyang to attend anniversary celebrations, state media had reported.
Mass games and art performances were held at the stadium with Kim accompanied by guests whom the large crowd gathered greeted with cheers “that shook the capital’s night sky,” KCNA said.
State media made no mention of a large-scale military parade the country was expected to stage to mark the anniversary.
Strengthening Bilateral Ties
Kim held talks with China’s Li, where they said the visit marked a “new chapter” in advancing the two countries’ ties under their supreme leaders and pledged to expand strategic dialogue and high-level exchanges, KCNA said.
Kim separately received Vietnam’s To Lam with an honour-guard welcome and held talks on advancing cooperation to meet global challenges, it said.
Medvedev held talks with senior North Korean officials and attended a reception held in his honour, KCNA added.
(With inputs from Reuters)
