Three of the world’s most controversial leaders are meeting in Beijing this week - North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and China’s Xi Jinping. But behind the pomp of China’s Victory Day parade lies a far darker story, and the stakes for global politics couldn’t be higher. 

In today’s podcast, Ciara Doherty talks to Robert E. Kelly, professor of international relations at Pusan National University, about what Kim’s rare foreign appearance really means. They explore not just the summit optics — the coordinated display of military power, Xi’s diplomatic showcase, and Putin’s positioning — but also the reality of life under Kim’s rule. Forced labour, concentration camps, famine, and the total sealing-off of North Korea from outside influence paint a grim backdrop to this historic meeting. 

Robert and Ciara dig into how Kim’s background shaped a leader who blends strategic brinkmanship with extreme personal control, and how this character informs both domestic repression and international signalling. Kim’s use of his infamous bulletproof train, his nuclear posture, and his balancing act between Beijing and Moscow all reflect a ruler keenly aware of both danger and opportunity. 

The discussion examines how Xi is using this gathering to assert China’s rising influence, how Kim projects independence and legitimacy, and why the West should pay close attention to the emergence of what some analysts are calling an authoritarian axis. 

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