Chairman of the National Assembly Kim Yong-nam will travel to Moscow to replace leader Kim Jong-un

The chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly (Parliament) of North Korea, representing the country's leadership, will travel to Moscow to attend the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un suddenly cancels visit to Russia on May 9

After North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made a "shocking" decision to cancel his visit to Russia at the last minute, according to the North Korean news agency KCNA on May 4, Mr. Kim Yong-nam will take on the role of leading the DPRK delegation to Russia.

“Kim Jong-un has decided to stay in Pyongyang. This decision is related to the internal affairs of North Korea,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by Xinhua. Peskov also denied any rumors that the North Korean leader had canceled his visit to Russia due to pressure from other countries on Pyongyang. “This is definitely not the reason,” Peskov said.

According to South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper, Kim Jong-un canceled his visit to Russia because Moscow "refused to fulfill his request for special treatment for the North Korean delegation attending the event."

Kim Jong-un had previously planned to visit Russia to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II along with many other leaders. This is believed to be the North Korean leader's first foreign trip since he took power in 2011.

According to KCNA, Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea Kim Yong-nam has full status as head of state, and he also regularly makes foreign trips to strengthen relations between North Korea and the world./.

According to VOV