Who is leading North Korea’s delegation to the Beijing Xiangshan Forum?

North Korea’s Vice Defense Minister Kim Kang-il is leading the delegation to the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum in Beijing. The delegation left Pyongyang International Airport a day earlier, according to state media.

When does the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum take place?

The 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum is running from Tuesday through Thursday. This year’s theme is Build Consensus on Stability, Advance Security Governance Together.

Why is North Korea sending a vice defense minister to China’s defense forum this year?

The decision comes after a June summit in Pyongyang, where Kim Jong-un and Xi Jinping vowed to strengthen high-level exchanges. It also marks a higher-level North Korean presence than in the two most recent editions, when military attaches reportedly attended instead.

N. Korea's vice defense minister attends Chinese defense forum

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Summary

North Korea’s Vice Defense Minister Kim Kang-il left for Beijing to attend China’s annual defense forum, state media said Wednesday. A North Korean delegation led by Kim flew out of Pyongyang International Airport a day earlier for the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, which runs from Tuesday through Thursday. North Korea has sent a higher-level delegation this year after its two most recent entries were limited to military attaches. The move follows a June summit in Pyongyang where Kim Jong-un and Xi Jinping vowed to strengthen high-level exchanges.

Key Facts

The 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum runs from Tuesday through Thursday under the theme Build Consensus on Stability, Advance Security Governance Together.
The forum was launched in 2006 by the China Association for Military Science.
North Korea first joined the forum in 2018 and returned the following year under Kim Hyong-ryong, then vice minister of the Ministry of the People’s Armed Forces.
In the two most recent editions, military attaches from the North Korean Embassy in China reportedly attended instead amid souring bilateral relations.
The June summit in Pyongyang involved Kim Jong-un and Xi Jinping, who vowed to strengthen high-level exchanges.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 16, 2026 8:39 am KST

A sign for the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum / Courtesy of the Beijing Xiangshan Forum

North Korea's Vice Defense Minister Kim Kang-il has left for Beijing to attend China's annual defense forum, Pyongyang's state media said Wednesday.

A North Korean delegation, led by Kim, flew out of Pyongyang International Airport a day earlier for the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, running from Tuesday through Thursday, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

Officials from North Korea's defense ministry and the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang saw them off, according to the report.

Launched in 2006 by the China Association for Military Science, the forum is often called China's version of Singapore's Shangri-La Dialogue. This year's forum takes place under the theme of "Build Consensus on Stability, Advance Security Governance Together."

North Korea first joined the forum in 2018 and returned the following year, when Kim Hyong-ryong, then vice minister of the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces, led the delegation.

In the two most recent editions, military attaches from the North Korean Embassy in China reportedly attended instead amid souring bilateral relations.

North Korea's decision to send its vice defense minister to this year's forum follows a June summit in Pyongyang, where North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to strengthen high-level exchanges.

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