On Wednesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a rare summit where they talked about military matters, the war in Ukraine, and potential Russian cooperation for the secretive state's satellite development.
Putin discussed the prospect of sending a North Korean astronaut to space while showing Kim around Russia's most modern rocket launch facility in the country's Far East. As Putin toured the Vostochny Cosmodrome, Kim, who arrived by train from North Korea, asked specific questions about missiles.
In an apparent allusion to the conflict in Ukraine, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday that Pyongyang will always stand with Moscow on the "anti-imperialist" front and that Pyongyang offers its "full and unconditional support" for Russia's "sacred fight" to defend its security interests.
Kim toasted Putin with a glass of Russian wine, wished him well, to "great Russia" victory, to the friendship between Korea and Russia success, and predicted that Moscow would prevail in its "sacred fight" with the West in the Ukraine war.
"The Russian army and people will certainly win a great victory in the sacred struggle for the punishment of a great evil that claims hegemony and feeds an expansionist illusion," Kim said, raising his glass.
Following the tour, Kim, 39, and Putin, 70, had private discussions with their ministers for several hours about world affairs and potential areas of cooperation. This was followed by a lavish lunch of sturgeon with mushrooms and potatoes and stuffed Russian "pelmeni" dumplings with Kamchatka crab.
Officials from the United States and South Korea have expressed fear that Kim would give arms and ammunition to Russia, which has depleted its supplies in the more than 18-month-long war in Ukraine. Such plans have been denied by Moscow and Pyongyang.
Putin has hinted at the topic of military cooperation but provided little details.
When questioned by Russian media about whether Moscow will aid Kim in developing satellites, Putin responded, "That's why we came here."
At their lunch meeting, Putin and Kim addressed each other as "comrades," and Putin repeatedly reminded Kim that the Soviet Union had supported North Korea and had been the first to acknowledge it just over 75 years to the day after its founding.
(Photo: Reuters)
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