SOUL - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, along with his influential sister Kim Yo Jong, paid a visit to a cemetery honoring Chinese soldiers who fought in the Korean War, as reported by state media KCNA. This visit coincides with the upcoming celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Korean War truce on Thursday, known as "Victory Day" in North Korea, often marked with a grand military parade.

As part of preparations for the ceremony, North Korea has invited Chinese and Russian delegations, marking the first public visitors from abroad since the start of the pandemic. The nuclear-armed nation is gearing up for the event, showcasing its diplomatic ties with China and Russia.

South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities are closely observing the situation surrounding North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's visit to the cemetery honoring Chinese soldiers who fought in the Korean War. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff revealed an increase in manpower and equipment in response to the event during a briefing on Tuesday.

In addition to the visit to the Chinese soldiers' cemetery, Kim also visited the Fatherland Liberation War Martyrs Cemetery on Monday, as reported by KCNA.

During his visit, he praised the soldiers for inflicting defeat on U.S. imperialism, using the name "Great Fatherland Liberation War" to refer to the Korean War. The situation is being closely monitored by international authorities due to the significance of the upcoming 70th-anniversary celebration of the Korean War truce.