North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's visit to Russia underscores the "strategic importance" of their ties, as reported by state news agency KCNA ahead of an anticipated summit with President Vladimir Putin, Reuters reported.
Hours prior to the anticipated summit, North Korea launched at least two ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast, causing alarm in South Korea and Japan. The specific type of missiles had not yet been identified, but Japan confirmed that both fell outside its exclusive economic zone.
Kim Jong Un arrived in Russia via a private train in the Russian Far East, accompanied by top defense industry and military officials. He was welcomed by an honor guard and senior Russian and regional officials.
According to KCNA, Kim stated that his visit to Russia "is a clear manifestation of the stand of the WPK and the government of the DPRK prioritizing the strategic importance of DPRK-Russia relations." The DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, while the WPK is the Workers' Party of Korea, the country's ruling party.
U.S. officials have expressed concerns about potential arms talks between Russia and North Korea, fearing that the two leaders may discuss supplying Russia with weapons for the conflict in Ukraine. Both Pyongyang and Moscow have denied any shipments of ammunition to Russia or future plans for arms supplies.
Images released by KCNA showed Kim's arrival at the train station in the border town of Khasan, followed by a welcome ceremony and discussions with Russian officials. While Kim met with Russian Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov and far eastern Primorsky region governor Oleg Kozhemyako, the report did not confirm the location of a potential summit with Putin.
Putin and Kim met at Russia's Vostochny cosmodrome on September 13 afternoon, located over 1,700 km (1,056 miles) north of Khasan.
However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has confirmed that Kim's visit will involve "fully fledged" negotiations, with potential discussions on humanitarian aid to North Korea and U.N. Security Council resolutions concerning Pyongyang.
Russia's foreign ministry emphasized the importance of the talks amid geopolitical changes globally. They view the situation on the Korean Peninsula as crucial for regional security and stability.
The United States and South Korea have warned against any arms trade with North Korea, stating that it would violate Security Council resolutions, including ones approved by Russia.
Kim's visit marks his first trip to Russia in nearly four years and his first foreign visit since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The visit aims to elevate the friendship and cooperation between North Korea and Russia to a "fresh higher level."
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