MOSCOW: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday that his country offers its 鈥渇ull and unconditional support鈥� for Russia鈥檚 鈥渟acred fight鈥� to defend its security interests, in an apparent reference to the war in Ukraine, and said Pyongyang will always stand with Moscow on the 鈥渁nti-imperialist鈥� front.
Kim also called North Korea鈥檚 relations with Russia 鈥渢he first priority.鈥�
The leaders met at a remote Siberian rocket launch facility for a summit that underscores how their interests are aligning in the face of their countries鈥� separate, intensifying confrontations with the United States.
Putin in his opening remarks welcomed Kim to Russia and said he was glad to see him. Putin listed economic cooperation, humanitarian issues and the 鈥渟ituation in the region鈥� among the agenda items for their talks.
The two men began their meeting at the Vostochny cosmodrome with a tour of a Soyuz-2 space rocket launch facility, at which Kim peppered a Russian space official with questions about the rockets.
The meeting came hours after North Korea fired two ballistic missiles toward the sea, extending a highly provocative run in North Korean weapons testing since the start of 2022, as Kim used the distraction caused by Putin鈥檚 war on Ukraine to accelerate his weapons development.
South Korea鈥檚 Joint Chiefs of Staff didn鈥檛 immediately say how far the North Korean missiles flew. Japan鈥檚 Coast Guard, citing Tokyo鈥檚 Defense Ministry, said the missiles have likely already landed but still urged vessels to watch for falling objects.
The decision to meet at Vostochny Cosmodrome, Russia鈥檚 most important domestic satellite launch facility, suggests that Kim is seeking Russian technical assistance for his efforts to develop military reconnaissance satellites, which he has described as crucial in enhancing the threat of his nuclear-capable missiles. In recent months, North Korea has repeatedly failed to put its first military spy satellite into orbit.
Official photos showed that Kim was accompanied by Pak Thae Song, chairman of North Korea鈥檚 space science and technology committee, and navy Adm. Kim Myong Sik, who are linked with North Korean efforts to acquire spy satellites and nuclear-capable ballistic missile submarines, according to South Korea鈥檚 Unification Ministry.
Asked whether Russia will help North Korea build satellites, Putin was quoted by Russian state media as saying 鈥渢hat鈥檚 why we have come here. The DPRK leader shows keen interest in rocket technology. They鈥檙e trying to develop space, too,鈥� using the abbreviation for North Korea鈥檚 formal name, the Democratic People鈥檚 Republic of Korea. Asked about military cooperation, Putin said 鈥渨e will talk about all issues without a rush. There is time.鈥�
Putin welcomed Kim鈥檚 limousine, brought from Pyongyang in the North Korean leader鈥檚 special armored train, at the entrance to the launch facility with a handshake that lasted around 40 seconds. Putin said he was 鈥渧ery glad to see鈥� Kim. Kim鈥檚 translator thanked Putin for the warm welcome, 鈥渄espite being busy.鈥�
For Putin, the meeting with Kim is an opportunity to refill ammunition stores that the 18-month-old war has drained. North Korea may have tens of millions of aging artillery shells and rockets based on Soviet designs that could give a huge boost to the Russian army in Ukraine, analysts say.
Kim also brought Jo Chun Ryong, a ruling party official in charge of munitions policies who joined him on recent tours of factories producing artillery shells and missile, according to South Korea.
Kim said his decision to visit Russia four years after his previous visit showed how Pyongyang is 鈥減rioritizing the strategic importance鈥� of its relations with Moscow, North Korea鈥檚 official news agency said Wednesday.
Kim is expected to seek economic aid as well as military technology. Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said Russia may discuss humanitarian aid with the North Korean delegation, according to Russian news agencies.
An arms deal would violate international sanctions that Russia supported in the past.
Lim Soo-suk, South Korea鈥檚 Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said Seoul was maintaining communication with Moscow while closely monitoring Kim鈥檚 visit.
鈥淣o UN member state should violate Security Council sanctions against North Korea by engaging in an illegal trade of arms, and must certainly not engage in military cooperation with North Korea that undermines the peace and stability of the international community,鈥� Lim said at a briefing.
The United States has accused North Korea of providing Russia with arms, including selling artillery shells to the Russian mercenary group Wagner. Both Russian and North Korean officials denied such claims.
Speculation about their military cooperation grew after Sergei Shoigu, the Russian defense minister, visited North Korea in July. Kim subsequently toured his weapons factories, which experts said had the dual goal of encouraging the modernization of North Korean weaponry and examining artillery and other supplies that could be exported to Russia.