North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un captured global attention as he landed in China on Wednesday for the Victory Day parade. Sporting a calm and smiling demeanor, Kim Jong-un was seen rubbing shoulders with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin as they walked towards the venue of the parade.
Kim Jong-un, however, surprised onlookers as he ditched his traditional black Zhongshan suit, also known as a Mao suit, for a Western-style suit. Kim’s gesture of ditching the Zhongshan suit, a staple of socialist leaders in China and North Korea, was interpreted as a move to portray himself as a “normal world leader” alongside the leaders of China and Russia.
However, on his arrival in China, Kim was seen sporting his traditional Zhongshan suit. However, he then changed into a black suit with a white shirt and red tie. For the parade, he switched to a gold tie.
JUST IN: 🇷🇺🇰🇵 Russian President Putin and North Korea's President Kim Jong Un ride together in the same car. pic.twitter.com/EqP3JDvYKy
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Though Kim had earlier too worn a western suit, North Korean leaders traditionally 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.
Another spectacle that garnered eyeballs was the use of a special licence plate in his Mercedes-Maybach limousine. The vehicle Kim drove from Beijing Railway station to the North Korean Embassy had a special name plate. The plate read “7·271953,” interpreted as a reference to July 27, 1953, the date of the Korean War armistice agreement.
The day on the name plate has immense significance in North Korea as it is called the “Victory Day of the Fatherland Liberation War,” emphasising its historical significance as a triumph over the U.S. However, this is not the first time that the number plate was being used. During Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea last year, the same number appeared on the license plate of the Aurus Senat car, which Putin gifted to Kim.
Many believe Kim Jong-un’s public display of this plate is a signal to the US that it won’t yield to its pressure. Many think he also highlighted anti-U.S. solidarity with China.
