Kim Jong Un, the Chairperson of the Workers' Party of Korea, has embarked on a visit to China for the first time in over six years. On the 1st, Kim departed from Pyongyang on a special train from the office and began his journey to Beijing, covering approximately 1,300 kilometers.
This visit to China is for attending the '80th anniversary of the victory in the Anti-Japanese War commemorative parade,' and this is Kim's fifth visit to China. Previously, he used a special train during his first visit in March 2018 and his fourth visit in January 2019, and he used the private plane 'Chammae 1' during his visits in May and June 2018.
If he follows the same route as during his visit to China in 2019, Kim is expected to travel 225 kilometers from Pyongyang to Sinuiju, cross the Yalu River via the China-North Korea border bridge, and enter Dandong, Liaoning Province, China. After that, he will travel approximately 1,133 kilometers by rail to Beijing.
The dedicated train is expected to pass through Shenyang, Shanhaiguan, Tangshan, and Tianjin before arriving in Beijing. The total distance from Pyongyang to Beijing is about 1,300 kilometers.
Kim's dedicated train, 'Tae-yang-ho,' is equipped with armored and armed features, as well as office facilities. However, it is known to operate at about 60 kilometers per hour due to its heavy weight and the poor condition of North Korea's railroads. Accordingly, Kim is expected to spend more than 20 hours on the train and arrive in Beijing on the 2nd.
During his fourth visit to China in 2019, Kim visited Shenyang after passing through Dandong and arrived at Beijing Station. He was then greeted by high-ranking members of the Chinese Communist Party and moved to the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. A similar approach is anticipated this time as well.
The Diaoyutai State Guesthouse is located about 11 kilometers from Beijing Station and can be accessed directly by a dedicated vehicle.
Recently, movements have been detected regarding the maintenance of the embassy's exterior walls and the replacement of external decorations, leading some to speculate that Kim may visit the North Korean embassy located in downtown Beijing.