SEOUL, South Korea. North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, arrived in Russia on an armored train on Tuesday for a significant meeting with President Vladimir Putin. This unusual encounter brings together two isolated leaders who share a common need for support amid escalating standoffs with Western nations.
Kim is expected to seek economic aid and military technology for his impoverished nation, and in an unexpected twist, it appears he may have something Putin desperately requires: munitions for Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
This meeting provides a unique opportunity for the North Korean leader to navigate around crippling U.N. sanctions and years of diplomatic isolation. For Putin, it represents a chance to replenish ammunition stores depleted by the ongoing war in Ukraine.
According to North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency, Kim boarded his personal train bound for Russia on Sunday afternoon, accompanied by senior members of the ruling party, government, and military.
The exact location of the meeting remains uncertain. While many anticipated Kim and Putin would convene in Vladivostok, a Russian city near the border where their last meeting occurred in 2019, the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, confirmed only that Kim had entered Russia. Subsequently, the state news agency RIA-Novosti reported that Kim’s train had headed north after crossing the Razdolnaya River, away from Vladivostok. South Korean news agency Yonhap later published a photo purportedly showing the train in Ussuriysk, a city about 60 kilometers (approximately 40 miles) north of Vladivostok, known for its sizable ethnic Korean population.
Speculation has arisen that Kim may be heading to the Vostochny spaceport, which Putin is scheduled to visit soon. While the launch facility is approximately 900 kilometers (approximately 550 miles) northwest of Ussuriysk, the route there is indirect, and it remains unclear how long Kim’s slow-moving train would take to reach the destination.
Peskov confirmed that Putin and Kim will meet after the Vladivostok economic forum and that their meeting would include a lunch in Kim’s honor.
Key officials identified in North Korean state media photos may provide insight into Kim’s objectives and potential negotiations with Putin. Notably, Kim is apparently accompanied by Jo Chun Ryong, a ruling party official responsible for munitions policies, who recently joined Kim on tours of factories producing artillery shells and missiles. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu will be part of the Russian delegation, according to Peskov.
Analysts suggest that North Korea may possess tens of millions of aging artillery shells and rockets based on Soviet designs that could significantly bolster the Russian army’s capabilities in Ukraine.
Additionally, photos reveal the presence of Pak Thae Song, chairman of North Korea’s space science and technology committee, and navy Adm. Kim Myong Sik, who are associated with North Korean efforts to acquire spy satellites and nuclear-capable ballistic missile submarines. Experts believe that North Korea would struggle to acquire such advanced capabilities without external assistance, although it remains unclear if Russia would share such sensitive technology.
Kim Jong Un may also seek much-needed energy and food supplies during the meeting, according to analysts. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko has suggested that humanitarian aid may be discussed during the negotiations.
Kim’s delegation likely includes Foreign Minister Choe Sun Hui and the top two military officials, Korean People’s Army Marshals Ri Pyong Chol and Pak Jong Chon.
Data from FlightRadar24.com indicates that an Air Koryo An-148 took off from Pyongyang on Tuesday and flew to Vladivostok. North Korea’s national airline has only recently resumed international flights following pandemic-related disruptions. Speculation had arisen that North Korea might use a plane to transport support staff.
Kim’s visit marks his first foreign trip since the pandemic, during which North Korea implemented stringent border controls for over three years. In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moscow and North Korea have drawn closer, shifting from decades of fluctuating relations.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Lim Soo-suk, stated that Seoul is maintaining communication with Moscow while closely monitoring Kim’s visit. Lim emphasized the importance of adherence to U.N. Security Council sanctions against North Korea and the avoidance of any illegal arms trade or military cooperation that could undermine international peace and stability.
U.S. officials had previously released intelligence indicating that North Korea and Russia were arranging this summit. They speculated that Putin may focus on securing additional supplies of North Korean artillery and ammunition to replenish Russian arsenals as Moscow seeks to counter a Ukrainian counteroffensive.
White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson urged North Korea to abide by its commitments and refrain from providing or selling arms to Russia. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller emphasized that any arms transfer from North Korea to Russia would violate multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, and the U.S. would not hesitate to impose new sanctions.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno expressed concern about the Kim-Putin meeting’s potential impact on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While the U.S. has accused North Korea of providing arms to Russia, including artillery shells sold to the Russian mercenary group Wagner, both Russian and North Korean officials have denied these allegations. However, speculation about military cooperation between the two countries increased following Russian Defense Minister Shoigu’s visit to North Korea in July, during which Kim invited him to view an arms exhibition and a massive military parade showcasing ICBMs targeting the U.S. mainland. Subsequently, Kim visited North Korea’s weapons factories, including one producing artillery systems, further fueling speculation about their collaboration.
This news report is based on information from The Associated Press.
