North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party of Korea marks its 80th birthday Friday, with major celebrations expected.
Leader Kim Jong Un will join a host of foreign dignitaries, including Chinese Premier Li Qiang and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev: Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and Beijing’s tensions with Washington have boosted Pyongyang’s ties with its fellow authoritarian regimes. Kim will also likely oversee a military parade, showing off the country’s latest weaponry.
Kim’s grandfather, Kim Il-Sung, was among the key figures in the WPK’s 1945 founding, and played a role in the decision to invade South Korea in 1950, leading to the northern state’s continuing isolation.