Kim Jong-un in Russia: what is known about the North Korean leader’s trip to meet with Putin

Neither Russia nor North Korea have specified when or where the visit will take place or its agenda, but the summit between Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un promises to be one of the most popular on the diplomatic planet. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who left Pyongyang on Sunday on his armored train, arrived in Russia on Tuesday. According to a Kremlin spokesman quoted by the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, he must discuss “sensitive topics” with Vladimir Putin. In August, both men advocated even greater “strategic and tactical” cooperation.

First trip abroad after Covid

Kim’s visit to Russia marks his first overseas trip since the Covid-19 pandemic and his 10th since taking power in 2011. The previous nine trips focus on trips in 2018 and 2019 to Singapore, Vietnam, China and the Demilitarized Zone between the two Koreas. . And, contrary to popular belief, only four took place by train, three by plane and two by car.

This elite armored train, dark green with yellow stripes, was the favorite mode of transport for Kim Jong Il, the father of Kim Jong Un, the all-powerful leader of North Korea, who had a terrible fear of flying.

Images published by North Korea’s KCNA news agency showed Kim walking along a red carpet at a Pyongyang train station on Sunday afternoon to board a train, surrounded by officials. In the background, a crowd of spectators applauds and waves flags. The train headed north through Primorsky Krai. The video, published Monday by Russia Today and geotagged by CNN, shows the train carrying Kim near the Russian-North Korean border, near the Tyumen River.

Secret meeting place

Considering Kim’s method of travel – by train, a meeting in the Russian Far East is most likely. Putin reportedly arrived in Vladivostok on Monday to attend the Eastern Economic Forum, which will be held there until Wednesday. Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported on Tuesday, citing an unnamed Russian official source, that the Kim Express had arrived at Khasan Station in Russia, on the border with North Korea. During World War II, a railway was built between the two countries, connecting Khasan with Tumangan on the Korean side. However, caterpillars are not all the same size. A 4-hour drive separates Khasan from Vladivostok.

The heads of the two states already met in the final city of the Trans-Siberian Railway in 2019.

Classic unfolding

The agenda for the meeting was not specified, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said bilateral relations between the countries would be a priority for the meeting, which would be a “full-fledged visit with negotiations between the two delegations,” Russian state media TASS reported. A formal dinner is also planned in Kim’s honor. There are no plans for a joint press conference.

Putin’s goal: to get ammunition

Prominent members of the North Korean Communist Party, including Department of Warfare Industry Director Cho Chun-ryong, boarded the train, heightening fears. Russia desperately needs new supplies of ammunition and artillery shells to continue its war in Ukraine even as Western sanctions begin to take effect. North Korea, facing years of international sanctions over its nuclear weapons program and years of drought, is short of everything – food, medicine, technology. In particular, those that allow it to develop its military nuclear arsenal, despite international prohibitions.

Last Tuesday, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan warned that North Korea “will pay a price” if it enters into an arms deal with Russia. The White House called on the regime to “respect Pyongyang’s public commitments not to supply or sell weapons to Russia.” After reports surfaced a year ago that North Korea was selling weapons to Russia, a North Korean defense ministry spokesman said at the time that Pyongyang had “never exported weapons,” “weapons or ammunition to Russia before, and that we would not consider exporting them.” .