Kim Jong Un's trademark armored train is once again in the spotlight, having carried the North Korean leader on a rare trip to Beijing, where he will meet his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin .

Why It Matters

By taking the custom-built train, Kim projects power and prestige in a display that contrasts sharply with life for most in North Korea, where nearly half the population was estimated to be malnourished between 2020 and 2022, according to United Nations figures.

On Kim's visit, his first to China since January 2019, he is expected to attend a military parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, joining the heads of state of North Korea's two most important allies.

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