Kim Jong-un-Putin 5 Nights 6 Days 'Outcast Alliance'... Growing Concerns Over Military Closeness

North Korea-Russia Talks Amid Arms Trade Concerns
Close Engagement Displayed Without Official Announcement
Growing Worries Over Prolonged Ukraine Crisis

The visit of North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un to Russia concluded on the 17th (local time), drawing attention to the future level of military cooperation, including arms transactions. The United States has warned that it will take additional measures if arms deals violate UN Security Council sanctions.

The key event of this visit was the summit between Chairman Kim and President Putin on the 13th. The West anticipated that North Korea and Russia would strengthen military cooperation, including arms transactions, and closely monitored the situation.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

However, no details emerged about what was discussed between North Korea and Russia during the summit held at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Amur Oblast, Russia. There was no announcement regarding the outcome of the summit. There was neither a press conference nor a joint declaration. The absence of any official statement after the summit was analyzed as a move conscious of international concerns.

In particular, if Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, were to undermine UN Security Council sanctions, it would inevitably face international backlash and condemnation.

On the 15th, after the North Korea-Russia summit, President Putin stated, "We are not violating anything, nor do we intend to," adding, "We will seek opportunities to develop North Korea-Russia relations within the framework of international law." However, before the summit, when asked by reporters whether Russia would assist North Korea in satellite production, he replied, "We came here (to the cosmodrome) because of that," indicating a willingness to support North Korean military technology.

Notably, after the summit, Chairman Kim sent a provocative message by closely observing and personally handling various advanced Russian strategic weapons. On the 15th, he visited an aircraft factory in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Khabarovsk Krai, inspecting the production processes of Russia's multipurpose supersonic fighter Su-35 and stealth fighter Su-57. On the 16th, he examined various strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons, multipurpose fighters, and the hypersonic missile "Kinzhal" at the Knevichi military airfield in Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai.

If arms transactions between the two countries materialize, the possibility of a prolonged special military operation in Ukraine will increase.

The West is working to check the military closeness between North Korea and Russia. On the 15th, Jake Sullivan, White House National Security Advisor, stated, "From our perspective, conversations regarding North Korea's arms supply to Russia have progressed before and after (Kim Jong-un's) visit and continue to progress," rejecting North Korea and Russia's claims that "there is no agreement of any kind."

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