North's Kim Jong-un drops socialist attire for Western-style suit at Victory Day parade
Published: 03 Sep. 2025, 15:35
Updated: 03 Sep. 2025, 18:04
![North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un arrives for a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II in Beijing on Sept. 3. [TASS/YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/09/03/52565e9a-b264-4551-b54a-9100f7adae29.jpg)
North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un arrives for a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II in Beijing on Sept. 3. [TASS/YONHAP]
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appeared in a Western-style suit at the military parade held in Beijing on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of China’s Victory Day, an apparent move to project the image of a “normal state leader" as he stood alongside the leaders of China and Russia.
At around 9:18 a.m. Wednesday local time, Kim stepped out of a black armored limousine at the Duanmen Gate inside the Palace Museum in Beijing. He wore a black suit with a white shirt and a light gold tie. Kim walked alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, exchanging handshakes and conversation.
Kim maintained a calm and smiling demeanor throughout. At one point, while walking to Tiananmen with Xi on his left, Kim was seen casually speaking to the Chinese leader. As Xi greeted war veterans, both Kim and Putin also smiled and shook hands with the veterans standing nearby.
Once atop the Tiananmen Gate, Putin and Kim entered in sequence behind Xi. During the main ceremony, a symbolic scene was staged with Xi standing in the center, Kim to his left, and Putin to his right.
This marked the first time since the end of the Cold War in 1991 that the leaders of North Korea, China and Russia have appeared together at a public event. The moment was broadcast live worldwide via Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, serving as a powerful image of anti-Western solidarity.
Kim also appeared to engage with other foreign leaders attending the event. Kim extended an invitation for Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to visit North Korea, according to Reuters, citing Lukashenko’s Telegram account.
The two were said to have briefly conversed before the parade, marking Kim’s first interaction with a foreign leader at a multilateral event.
![Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are seen ahead of a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over the militarist Japan and the end of World War II in Beijing on Sept. 3. [TASS/YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/09/03/06201fdb-1088-42a5-bc25-1ec03bc846e6.jpg)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are seen ahead of a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over the militarist Japan and the end of World War II in Beijing on Sept. 3. [TASS/YONHAP]
![Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are seen during a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over the militarist Japan and the end of World War II in Beijing on Sept. 3. [YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/09/03/b0674e89-bf83-4dc9-8c70-be0f531b1cf4.jpg)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are seen during a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over the militarist Japan and the end of World War II in Beijing on Sept. 3. [YONHAP]
When Kim departed Pyongyang by train on Monday, he was dressed in a black Zhongshan suit, also known as the "Mao suit," a staple of socialist leaders in China and North Korea, characterized by its high collar and buttoned front. He was also wearing the same attire while speaking with Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and other officials inside his onboard office.
However, upon his arrival at Beijing Station the following afternoon, Kim had changed into a black suit with a white shirt and red tie. For the parade, he switched to a gold tie — a move that appears to reflect careful styling choices for a high-profile international appearance alongside Xi and Putin.
Putin also wore a black suit, while Xi was dressed in a dark gray Zhongshan suit. The scene of the three leaders — Xi in traditional Chinese dress flanked by Kim and Putin in Western-style suits — highlighted the stature of all three figures.
![A television broadcast of China's Victory Day military parade is seen at Seoul Station in Yongsan District, central Seoul on Sept. 3. [YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/09/03/af52ad8f-5614-468b-ac40-80836a99c909.jpg)
A television broadcast of China's Victory Day military parade is seen at Seoul Station in Yongsan District, central Seoul on Sept. 3. [YONHAP]
When Kim last traveled abroad in September 2023 to visit Russia, he also changed from a Zhongshan suit into a Western-style suit upon arrival. He wore the suit again during the summit with Putin at the Vostochny Cosmodrome — his first time donning a suit for a summit.
Traditionally, North Korea’s top leaders have worn the Zhongshan suit for official appearances. Kim Jong-un’s predecessors Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong-il wore the Zhongshan suit consistently during field inspections, official events, and overseas visits.
Kim Jong-il notably wore the suit during the 2000 and 2007 inter-Korean summits. Kim Jong-un also wore Zhongshan suits during the inter-Korean and North Korea-U.S. summits in 2018 and 2019, as well as during his January 2019 summit with Xi.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHUNG YEONG-GYO, PARK HYUN-JU [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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