'Meeting Latecomer' Putin, Why Did He Arrive Before Kim Jong-un and Wait?

Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly arrived 30 minutes early at the venue for the summit with North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un on the 13th (local time) and waited for Kim. In the past, Putin was often late compared to other leaders, leading to suspicions that it was a psychological tactic, but this time he unusually waited for Kim.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un shake hands before their meeting on the 13th (local time) at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Amur region of Russia's Far East. The two met face-to-face for the first time in 4 years and 5 months since their meeting in April 2019. [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

President Putin arrived at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Amur Oblast, the summit venue, around 12:30 PM on the 13th (local time). Meanwhile, Kim Jong-un arrived at the base about 30 minutes later. Major foreign media reported that Putin warmly greeted Kim Jong-un with a 40-second handshake and exchange of greetings as Kim stepped out of a black armored limousine at the base entrance.

When President Putin said, "It's really nice to meet you. This is our new space base. I want to show it to you," Kim Jong-un reportedly responded, "Thank you for inviting me despite your busy schedule." Afterwards, Putin and Kim toured the facilities inside the cosmodrome together.

Until now, President Putin was known as a notorious latecomer to summits. His frequent tardiness even led to suspicions that it was a tactic to gain psychological advantage during meetings.

In 2014, Putin was a staggering 4 hours and 15 minutes late to a summit with former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and in 2018, he was 2 hours and 30 minutes late to a meeting with the late former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. He was also late in meetings with South Korean leaders, arriving 1 hour and 45 minutes late during a 2016 summit with former President Park Geun-hye, and about 2 hours late during a 2019 summit with former President Moon Jae-in held during the G20 summit.

At the 2018 summit with former U.S. President Donald Trump, Putin was 35 minutes late. However, in that instance, Trump waited at the hotel and arrived 20 minutes later than Putin, causing the meeting to be delayed by about an hour.

In 2018, Donald Trump (center), then President of the United States, is greeting Vladimir Putin (right), President of Russia, at their first summit held at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland. On that day, President Putin was about 35 minutes late, but President Trump was 20 minutes later than that, causing the meeting between the two leaders to be delayed by more than an hour beyond the scheduled time. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Putin’s waiting this time appears to reflect the fact that Russia, facing a prolonged invasion of Ukraine, is the more desperate party seeking to receive supplies. The U.S. foreign affairs magazine Foreign Policy described this summit by noting, "(At the first summit between the two leaders in April 2019) Kim Jong-un was reeling from the shock of the failed summit with former President Trump and was searching for a diplomatic lifeline," while now, four years later, Putin is seeking a diplomatic and military lifeline from Kim Jong-un to avoid defeat in the war with Ukraine.

Additionally, it is reported that Kim’s delegation to the U.S. included not only Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui but also top military officials ranked first and second, responsible for arms deals. This has led to speculation that North Korea may provide Russia with conventional artillery shells and anti-tank guided missiles through this summit. The international community, including the United States, has expressed concern and issued warnings about additional sanctions.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.