Seoul's unification ministry says it is preparing for all possibilities after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un displayed trilateral solidarity with the leaders of China and Russia during a "Victory Day" event in Beijing the previous day.
A ministry official said on Thursday while it is possible that the anti-U.S. solidarity could strengthen moving forward, there also exists a conflicting view that Pyongyang may seek dialogue with Washington based on its close ties to Beijing and Moscow.
The official said Seoul is preparing for all possibilities and will concentrate all efforts toward achieving denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Regarding Kim's daughter Ju-ae accompanying him on the China trip, the ministry assessed that the regime continues to present the daughter to the North Korean people, while elevating the level of courtesy toward the likely successor.
The official referred to footage of Kim's wife, Ri Sol-ju, stepping back behind her daughter during a visit to the North's Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone in June, assessing that Ju-ae joining her father on his trip displays her elevated status.