Pyongyang: North Korea's top newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, prominently featured leader Kim Jong-un's attendance at a Chinese military parade alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on its front page Thursday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Rodong Sinmun devoted the first three pages of its Thursday issue to stories and photos of Kim's participation in the military parade in Beijing, which occurred the previous day. Kim's presence at the event, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, captured global attention as he stood at the center stage with Xi and Putin.

The display of unity among the three leaders underscored a strengthening of ties between North Korea, China, and Russia, presenting a challenge to the United States-led global order. The Rodong Sinmun highlighted this by running a front-page photo of Kim with Xi and Putin at the rostrum for top-level guests, signifying Kim's pivotal role in the event. A separate image showed Kim holding Xi's hands and smiling, further emphasizing the close relationship between North Korea and China.

Additional coverage in the Rodong Sinmun included photos of Kim interacting with other state leaders and attending a reception hosted by Xi. The third page of the newspaper featured images and a story about Kim's summit with Putin, which took place at a Chinese state guest house following the parade. Exclusive photos of Kim and Putin seated inside Putin's private limousine and conversing over tea and refreshments were also published, highlighting their bilateral discussions.

The extensive coverage in Thursday's Rodong Sinmun seemingly aims to bolster Kim's status on the international stage, as this marked his debut at a multilateral diplomatic event. The Korean Central Broadcasting Station, North Korea's state-run radio service, also reported on Kim's attendance at the parade and his meeting with Putin in its Thursday morning broadcast.

An official at South Korea's unification ministry noted that the report in Rodong Sinmun seems focused on emphasizing the trilateral cooperation among North Korea, China, and Russia, as well as reinforcing Kim's status to the North Korean public. Sources indicate that Kim and Xi are likely to hold a summit on Thursday, possibly before Kim departs Beijing later in the day.