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Putin meets Kim, says ‘Russia to help North Korea build satellites’ | Watch
Kim Jong Un arrives in Russia for meeting with Putin, as North Korea fires ballistic missiles toward the sea.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Wednesday arrived at a cosmodrome in Russia's Far East on Wednesday for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian President welcomed Kim and said he was “very glad to see” him, according to AFP reports.
“Russia to help North Korea build satellites. We will discuss all the issues,” said Putin as quoted by Russian news agencies.
The two men began their meeting with a tour of a Soyuz-2 space rocket launch facility, at which North Korean leader Kim Jong Un peppered Putin with questions about the rockets.
During the meeting, Kim told Putin that his country offers its “full and unconditional support” for Russia’s “sacred fight” to defend its security interests, in an apparent reference to the war in Ukraine, as per AP reports.
Meanwhile, North Korea fired two ballistic missiles toward the sea Wednesday, as leader Kim Jong Un rolled through Russia on an armored train toward a meeting with Putin.
The launch extended a highly provocative run in North Korean weapons testing since the start of 2022, as Kim used the distraction caused by Putin’s war on Ukraine to accelerate his weapons development, AP reported.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff didn’t immediately say how far the North Korean missiles flew. Japan’s Coast Guard, citing Tokyo’s Defence Ministry, said the missiles have likely already landed but still urged vessels to watch for falling objects.
Putin's meeting with Kim is an opportunity to refill ammunition stores that the 18-month-old war has drained. For Kim, it’s a chance to get around crippling UN sanctions and years of diplomatic isolation, as per AP reports.
On the other hand, Kim is expected to seek economic aid and military technology though an arms deal would violate international sanctions that Russia supported in the past.
The visit will be closely watched by US-led Western countries as Washington has recently warned North Korea against a possible arms deal for Moscow's war in Ukraine.
The visit displays a new Cold War structure with North Korea, Russia, and China on one side against South Korea, Japan, and the United States. In case North Korea chooses to supply arms to Russia, the already heavy Western sanctions against the country can intensify.
Furthermore, North Korea has shown the will to stand up against the threats of Western sanctions. It is widely reported that in 2022, North Korea provided the Wagner Group with infantry rockets and missiles.
(With inputs from agencies)
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First Published:13 Sep 2023, 10:36 AM IST
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