North korea: North Korea's Vice Defense Minister Kim Kang-il has left for Beijing to attend China's annual defense forum, as reported by Pyongyang's state media on Wednesday. A delegation from North Korea, led by Kim, departed from Pyongyang International Airport to participate in the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, which is scheduled from Tuesday through Thursday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

According to Yonhap News Agency, officials from North Korea's defense ministry and the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang were present to see the delegation off. The forum, initiated in 2006 by the China Association for Military Science, is often referred to as China's counterpart to Singapore's Shangri-La Dialogue. This year, the forum is centered around the theme "Build Consensus on Stability, Advance Security Governance Together."

North Korea initially joined the forum in 2018 and returned in 2019 with Kim Hyong-ryong, the then vice minister of the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces, leading the delegation. In the two most recent editions, North Korean military attaches from the embassy in China reportedly attended instead, amid tense bilateral relations.

North Korea's decision to send its vice defense minister to this year's forum comes after a June summit in Pyongyang, where North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping committed to strengthening high-level exchanges.