China’s large-scale military parade on Wednesday provided an opportunity for Kim Jong Un to rub elbows with over 25 foreign heads of state, with photos and videos showing that the North Korean leader didn’t just stand side by side with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin but also met counterparts from throughout Southeast Asia.

But arguably more striking than Kim’s impromptu engagements with the leaders of Myanmar, Vietnam and Malaysia was the lack of announcements about meetings with the heads of longtime friendly states, most notably Cuba and Iran, raising questions about the health of bilateral ties.

China’s large-scale military parade on Wednesday provided an opportunity for Kim Jong Un to rub elbows with over 25 foreign heads of state, with photos and videos showing that the North Korean leader didn’t just stand side by side with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin but also met counterparts from throughout Southeast Asia.

But arguably more striking than Kim’s impromptu engagements with the leaders of Myanmar, Vietnam and Malaysia was the lack of announcements about meetings with the heads of longtime friendly states, most notably Cuba and Iran, raising questions about the health of bilateral ties.