Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation to visit North Korea, Pyongyang’s state media said yesterday, as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un wrapped up a trip to meet with his ally.
Kim, who seldom leaves his country and has not traveled since before the COVID-19 pandemic, had a “historic meeting and talks” with Putin on Wednesday, the North’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
Among the results of the leaders’ summit were Russian promises of help with North Korea’s fledgling space program, Russian news agencies reported, while Putin told reporters he saw “possibilities” for military cooperation.
Photo: AFP / KCNA VIA KNS
The head of South Korea’s ruling party criticized what he called “a devil’s deal” between Moscow and Pyongyang, while Japan warned against any contraventions of UN bans on arms deals with the North after the Putin-Kim talks.
“We are watching [the talks] with concerns including the possibility that it could lead to violations of the Security Council’s ban on all arms-related material transactions with North Korea,” Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoko Kamikawa told reporters.
After touring a space center and attending a banquet, Kim “courteously invited Putin to visit the DPRK at a convenient time,” KCNA reported, referring to the country by its official name. “Putin accepted the invitation with pleasure and reaffirmed his will to invariably carry forward the history and tradition of the Russia-DPRK friendship.”
Kim on Wednesday told Putin that he was sure Russia would win a “great victory” over its enemies.
“We will always be with Russia,” Kim said, according to footage broadcast on Russian TV.
“An old friend is better than two new ones,” Putin said, quoting a Russian proverb and referencing the former Soviet Union’s role in the Korean War.
Kim then “said goodbye to Putin, wishing him good health” and headed to his next destination, KCNA said, with Putin earlier saying that Kim would oversee a display of Russian warships in Vladivostok to “demonstrate the capabilities of the Pacific Fleet.”
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