Kim Jong-un's sister accompanied her brother to visit Vietnam

Leader Kim Jong Un waves before the train departs. Photo: KCNA

"Mr. Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, departed for the second DPRK-US summit and dialogue in Hanoi, the capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, from February 27 to 28, Juche 108 (2019)" - the original announcement of the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) posted this morning, February 24.

This is the first time North Korean state media has spoken about the overseas trip that the world has been looking forward to in recent weeks.

According to KCNA, accompanying leader Kim Jong Un this time were a series of senior North Korean officials such as Kim Yong Chol, Ri Su Yong, Kim Phyong Hae and O Su Yong, members of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea.

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho and Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui were also present in the delegation.

Notably, among the members announced by KCNA is Ms. Kim Yo Jong - Alternate member of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea, the younger sister of the current North Korean leader.

The announcement did not mention Kim Jong Un's wife, Ri Sol Ju, who has always accompanied him on trips to China and inter-Korean summits.

North Korean leader inspects honor guard before trip - Photo: KCNA

"Party, government and armed forces officials wished leader Kim Jong Un a successful and safe return from the DPRK-US summit," KCNA said in a statement.

The announcement on the morning of February 24 by KCNA marked one of the rare times that North Korean state media confirmed that Kim Jong Un was abroad. Previously, from the afternoon of February 23, as soon as the North Korean leader's armored train departed from Pyongyang, this information was all over the international press.

A source from Tass News Agency (Russia) said that Mr. Kim Jong Un's train crossed the border and entered Dandong city (China) at 7:40 p.m. on February 23.

It is becoming increasingly clear that Kim Jong Un will travel by train as his departure date approaches.AsahiJapan, security has been tightened in Dandong city since February 22.

Chinese authorities have asked all hotels near the railway bridge connecting North Korea and Dandong railway station to cancel all reservations until February 23.

According to a statement from the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on February 23, at the invitation of General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong, Chairman Kim Jong Un will pay an official friendship visit to Vietnam in the coming days.

In a separate announcement on the morning of February 24, KCNA confirmed that leader Kim Jong Un will also pay an official friendship visit to Vietnam and meet and hold talks with top Vietnamese leaders.

In the past, Kim Jong Un's grandfather, the late leader Kim Il Sung, also used the train when he officially visited Vietnam in 1958.

NewspaperKyunghyang ShinmunSouth Korea's Yonhap News Agency cited Chinese archives showing that Kim Il Sung's itinerary and movements were very complicated.

Accordingly, the founder of the DPRK flew from Pyongyang to Beijing, then took a train to Guangzhou and continued by plane to visit Vietnam.

Former Vietnamese Ambassador to North Korea Duong Chinh Thuc recalled that when Kim Il Sung visited Vietnam for the first time, his plane had to land at Gia Lam airport because at that time there was no Noi Bai airport.