CaliToday (08/10/2025): In a striking display of diplomatic pageantry rarely seen in the isolated nation, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally hosted Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith for a summit in Pyongyang on Tuesday, a move signaling a calculated effort to showcase international solidarity ahead of a major national anniversary.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during a meeting of the Supreme People's Assembly at the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this picture released September 22, 2025 by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. KCNA via REUTERS.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Wednesday that Kim Jong Un extended a lavish red-carpet welcome to his Laotian counterpart. The ceremony was filled with pomp and circumstance, featuring senior North Korean officials, meticulously organized crowds of cheering citizens waving flowers and flags, and the thunderous roar of a 21-gun salute. This personal and elaborate reception underscores the significance Pyongyang has placed on the visit.
According to the KCNA report, the two leaders engaged in formal talks, focusing on "further strengthening and developing the bilateral relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries." Following their discussions, Kim hosted a grand banquet for the visiting Lao delegation, reinforcing the warm and amicable atmosphere of the summit.
President Thongloun's visit is highly significant as it represents a rare instance of a foreign head of state traveling to North Korea. The nation remains under crippling international sanctions for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and has only recently begun to ease the stringent border controls implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, which had kept most foreign visitors out for years.
The timing of the summit is no coincidence. President Thongloun is in Pyongyang to attend the elaborate celebrations for the anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea on October 10th.
Furthermore, this high-level engagement appears to be the prelude to a larger flurry of diplomatic activity. Chinese Premier Li Qiang and the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, To Lam, are also expected to arrive in the North Korean capital later this week to participate in the anniversary festivities.
This series of visits from North Korea's traditional socialist allies serves as a powerful counter-narrative to its global isolation. As Pyongyang prepares for one of its most important national holidays, it is orchestrating a clear and deliberate message to the world: despite sanctions and pressure, it maintains steadfast friends and enduring alliances on the international stage.