The event, which began Friday night amidst rainfall at Pyongyang’s central square, commemorated the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party. It underscored Kim’s advancing diplomatic presence and his unwavering ambition to develop an arsenal capable of targeting the continental United States as well as his adversaries in Asia.

On Saturday, North Korean state media announced that the parade revealed a new, untested ICBM known as the Hwasong-20, described as the country’s “most powerful nuclear strategic weapon system.”

Last month, Kim traveled to China, where he was prominently featured alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin during an extensive military parade.

On Friday, Kim met with Medvedev to discuss strengthening the “comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance” with Russia, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

Medvedev lauded the “bravery and self-sacrificing spirit” of North Korean soldiers who aided Russian forces in countering a Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk border area. He also advocated for increased exchanges and cooperation between the two nations. Furthermore, Kim held discussions with Li and Lam on Thursday to explore the enhancement of bilateral ties.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Kim has made Russia the priority of his foreign policy, sending thousands of troops and large shipments of weapons, including artillery and ballistic missiles, to help fuel Putin’s war.