Why Kim Jong Un is in China after issuing chilling message about North Korean military
Kim Jong Un is in China after saying he planned to build the 'world's strongest armed forces', a claim which is not likely to be taken very seriously by the wider world.
They have lots of weapons and a large army, but the dictatorship which largely remains closed off from the rest of the world doesn't have the economic power to afford the best hardware out there.
Nevertheless, part of North Korea's role as a pariah state is to shout about how strong it is compared to everyone else, and Kim has declared there's a 'new-era military build-up' coming.
According to AP as they report on his trip to China he's there not only to celebrate a new bridge between the two countries being opened but also to more closely align with China and Russia in a 'new Cold War'.
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They already send manpower and munitions to Russia to help Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, while North Korea is very dependant on China for trade and supplies so they're deeply tied together.
Part of his visit is likely done to coincide with 25 October, marking the first major victory by Chinese forces in the Korean war that split Korea in half and has never been completely resolved.
North and South Korea are still technically at war, with an armistice being signed that didn't end the conflict since it wasn't a peace treaty and the border between the countries being transformed into a heavily fortified demilitarised zone.
Kim wants more supplies that would help his armed forces become more self-sufficient, and it comes after his younger sister Kim Yo Jong threatened South Korea with 'the most horrible and distressing situation'.
She claimed South Korea was interfering with the north, saying they were making broadcasts and firing warning shots on the border between the two of them.
The younger sister of the North Korean dictator said they'd 'mercilessly eliminate' South Koreans if any of their own personnel were harmed, though sometimes her threatening words are followed with more conciliatory statements from the north of the Korean peninsula.
While South Korea has made proposals for a proper peace between the two countries these have thus far been ignored.
Making more public appearances might also be on the agenda for Kim following the claims that he'd died while on a visit to Beijing.
Unless North Korea are planning an elaborate Weekend at Bernie's scheme then the best way to refute the claim that Kim is a corpse is to have him walking and talking.
North Korea, Russia and China's increased ties on military matters were underlined last year when the leaders of the three countries were pictured attending a parade in Beijing in September last year.
Topics: Kim Jong-un, China
Joe Harker