Seoul: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may have demanded that China refrain from mentioning the goal of denuclearizing his country as a precondition for his attendance at a recent military parade in Beijing, South Korea's unification minister stated. Minister Chung Dong-young raised this possibility during a parliamentary session following Kim's rare trip to China last week.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim participated in a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II on Wednesday. During the event, Kim stood alongside the Chinese and Russian presidents, highlighting trilateral solidarity. Despite holding discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the talks concluded without any mention of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. This marked a significant change from the four summits between 2018 and 2019, where Beijing consistently advocated for denuclearization.

Chung speculated that Kim may have insisted on excluding denuclearization from the agenda as a condition for attending the military parade. He suggested that, from North Korea's viewpoint, Kim's presence at the event could be seen as a significant diplomatic achievement. Chung further noted that Kim might have participated with the confidence of leading a nuclear-armed nation.