North Korean leader Kim Jong-un considers that his visit to Russia highlights the “strategic importance” of ties between the two countries, according to the regime’s state media reported on Wednesday, which continues without revealing exactly where and when he will meet with his with Vladimir Putin to negotiate a possible arms exchange.
“Kim Jong-un said that his visit to the Russian Federation, his first visit abroad after the global public health crisis, is a clear manifestation of the will of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the government of the Democratic People’s Republic. of Korea (official name of the country) to prioritize the strategic importance of relations between the DPRK and Russia,” the KCNA agency reported.
According to the state news agency, Kim made the comment during his stop at the Khasan station, the first Russian stop when crossing from North Korea.
Kim’s train and his entourage arrived in Khasan at 6:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday (20:00 GMT on Monday), KCNA said, where they were welcomed with a red carpet, an honor guard and a military orchestra, and the presence, among other authorities, from the Russian Minister of Natural Resources, Alexandr Kozlov.
KCNA indicated that Kim “departed for his destination receiving a warm farewell from Russian officials” without specifying what that destination was.
Kim’s trace is lost
The North Korean president’s convoy was seen hours later, for the last time, in Ussuriisk, about 74 kilometers from Vladivostok, where many have predicted the summit with Putin would take place.
Since then, traces of Kim and his delegation have been lost, in which the Defense and Foreign Ministers travel, as well as senior military officials, including the director of the Industrial Department of Munitions, and also the Secretary for Science and Education of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party, which is linked to the North Korean space program.
It is believed that the meeting between the two leaders could take place at the Vostochny cosmodrome, about 1,500 kilometers north of Vladivostok in the Amur region (Siberia).
The Kremlin has said that bilateral cooperation or trade ties will be on the agenda, as well as “sensitive issues” that will not be shared publicly, which is interpreted as confirmation that the two leaders will discuss military exchanges.
Last week The New York Times reported that Putin would want North Korea to sell artillery and anti-tank missiles to Russia that Moscow could use in Ukraine, while Pyongyang would want in exchange satellite or nuclear propulsion technology for submarines, as well as food aid.