North Korea’s delegation to China’s “Victory Day” celebrations received little attention from host President Xi Jinping, regional media coverage of the event indicated on Thursday.

While South Korea’s President Park Geun-hye was pictured standing at a prime position during the main military parade – alongside President Vladimir Putin of Russia – North Korea’s Choe Ryong Hae stood at least 40 people away from Xi, a picture of the viewing gallery at Tiananmen Square showed.

Though the difference can partly be explained by the fact Pyongyang chose not to send a head of state to the event, Park’s prime position in several photos comes as diplomatic and economic relations between Seoul and