License Plate Bears Korean War Armistice Date
Symbolizes Defiance Against the United States
Spotlight on Daughter Ju Ae's First Overseas Trip
Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, is reported to have arrived in Beijing, China, to attend the Chinese Victory Day military parade. On the 2nd, a procession of vehicles adorned with the North Korean flag passed through the streets of Beijing. The license plate number 7·271953 caught attention. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un arrived in Beijing on the afternoon of the 2nd to attend the 80th anniversary celebration of China's Victory Day. At 4 p.m. that day, Kim arrived at Beijing Railway Station aboard his private train, the "Taeyang-ho," and immediately boarded a convoy of vehicles. As the Mercedes-Maybach carrying Kim passed through the Jianguomen intersection in downtown Beijing en route to the North Korean embassy, attention was drawn to the "7·271953" license plate on the front of his vehicle.
'7·27': Not an Armistice, but 'Victory Day' in North Korea
North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un arrived in Beijing on the afternoon of the 2nd (local time) to attend the 80th anniversary celebration of China's Victory Day. Photo by Xinhua News Agency
The vehicle Kim brought on the train was fitted with a "7·271953" license plate, which refers to July 27, 1953, the date of the signing of the Korean War armistice agreement. North Korea regards this day not simply as the day the armistice was signed, but as "Victory Day (7·27)," marking it as the day they defeated the United States. Within North Korea, "Chil-i-chil" (7·27) is used synonymously with "victory." The country's iconic military song, "7·27 March," repeatedly proclaims, "Victory, victory, victory of 7·27," embedding this date as a core symbol of the Kim family's legitimacy and the justification for hereditary succession of power.
Therefore, Kim's decision to display this license plate during his visit to China is interpreted as a political declaration that he will not yield to U.S. pressure, and as an attempt to highlight the anti-American blood alliance with China, which has defined the Korean War as the "War to Resist America and Aid Korea."
First Overseas Trip with Daughter Ju Ae...A Message About Succession?
North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un arrived in Beijing, the capital of China, at 4 p.m. local time on the 2nd. According to photos released by the news agency, Kim's daughter Ju Ae (red circle), Party Secretaries Jo Yong Won and Kim Tok Hun, and Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui were among those accompanying him. Photo by Korean Central News Agency Yonhap News
Another notable aspect of this visit is that Kim was accompanied by his daughter, Kim Ju Ae. In photos released by China's Xinhua News Agency and North Korea's Korean Central News Agency, Kim Ju Ae is seen standing next to Kim Jong Un, with Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui behind them. Kim's wife, Ri Sol Ju, was not seen. The National Intelligence Service stated, "We have confirmed that Kim Jong Un was accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju Ae on this visit to China," adding, "We are closely monitoring Kim Ju Ae's activities." This is the first time Kim has brought Kim Ju Ae on an overseas trip, leading to speculation that it may be a political signal regarding the succession structure.
This visit marks Kim Jong Un's first trip to China in approximately six years and eight months since January 2019. At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Kim is scheduled to attend the 80th anniversary Victory Day military parade in Beijing on the 3rd, alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and others.
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