Kim Jong-un Visits Far Eastern Federal University in Russia... Meets North Korean Students

Interpreted as an Attempt to Exchange with Russia Beyond the Military Sector

Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, met with North Korean students studying in Russia. Chairman Kim's visit to Russia is interpreted as an attempt to cooperate with Russia in various fields such as culture and education toward the end of his trip.

[Image source=TASS Yonhap News]

According to current media reports, on the 17th (local time), Chairman Kim visited the Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) located on Russky Island in Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai, Russia. This is the first time in 4 years and 5 months that Kim has visited FEFU. The university was used as the venue for the summit between Chairman Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin in April 2019, as well as Kim’s accommodation.

Chairman Kim conversed with North Korean students studying at the university and took commemorative photos. There are 43 North Korean students currently studying at FEFU.

According to TASS news agency, FEFU has been researching Korean studies since 1900 and maintains exchanges with North Korea’s Kim Chaek University of Technology, Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies, and Kim Il-sung University. Afterwards, Chairman Kim visited the Primorsky Aquarium near FEFU and watched a walrus performance.

Earlier, Chairman Kim attended a ballet performance of "The Sleeping Beauty" at the Mariinsky Theatre in Vladivostok the previous day. Russian media outlet Izvestia reported that Kim had expressed a desire to see this performance.

On the same day, Chairman Kim was scheduled to meet with Oleg Kozhemyako, Governor of Primorsky Krai, to discuss cooperation plans in agriculture, tourism, culture, sports, and other fields. Governor Kozhemyako specifically stated that they plan to discuss student exchange programs between the two countries and performances by the Primorsky ballet troupe in North Korea. Alexander Matsegora, Russian Ambassador to North Korea, said that Chairman Kim is interested in a wide range of issues and that he is also expected to visit food industry facilities in the region.

After holding a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the 13th and visiting the Russian Far East, Chairman Kim had previously focused on inspecting military facilities such as fighter jet factories, military airfields, and the Pacific Fleet headquarters, concentrating on Russia’s strategic weapons and military infrastructure.

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