Arms deal for war? – North Korean ruler Kim travels to Putin

The Defense Ministry in Seoul said there were indications that Kim’s private armored train had crossed the border on Tuesday morning (local time). Like Putin, he relies mainly on the railways (we reported). Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin’s meeting with Kim would take place in the Russian Far East. However, where exactly has not yet been announced. The spokesperson was quoted by state news agency TASS as saying that meetings between the two delegations and individual discussions are planned before an official dinner.

Speculation about arms transactions
After days of speculation abroad, Moscow and Pyongyang only confirmed an “official visit” by Kim to Russia on Monday. The US suspects that this will mainly concern arms transactions between Russia and the strictly isolated North Korea. Although there was no official information yet, it was believed that both could meet at an economic forum in the Russian Far Eastern metropolis of Vladivostok. The forum lasts until Wednesday.North Korean state media reported on Tuesday that Kim had already boarded his train in Pyongyang on Sunday afternoon, accompanied by representatives of the ruling Workers’ Party, the government and the military. Photos showed him accompanied by Foreign Minister Choe Sun-hui, among others.

Supply problems in the war in Ukraine
The US government has warned several times in recent months that Russia could purchase weapons systems from North Korea to continue its war of aggression against Ukraine. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan threatened that North Korea would pay a price within the international community if it supplied Russia with weapons.In fact, Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine is much longer, more costly, and more costly to Moscow than the Kremlin originally planned. Although the arms industry is operating at peak levels, domestic production cannot compensate for the losses in weapons and ammunition. That is why Russia is said to have already purchased Shahed drones from Iran.

North Korean expert on Soviet weapons systems
North Korea, in turn, has been considered a possible supplier of artillery ammunition and missiles for some time, as Pyongyang has specialized in modernizing Soviet weapons systems. On the other hand, Russia could help its neighbor with its nuclear program and also in the economic field. Another area would be humanitarian aid. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu’s visit to Pyongyang in August to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War was seen as a precursor to Kim’s visit. North Korean leaders celebrate the 1953 armistice as their own victory. During Shoigu’s visit, agreements had already been made about greater military cooperation.

Kim has only been to Russia once
Kim has been to Russia only once, four years ago, during his last trip abroad. In April 2019, he visited Vladivostok, also with his armored train, after talks on nuclear disarmament with then US President Donald Trump failed. The conversations with Putin at the time focused on the North Korean nuclear program and strengthening economic cooperation. However, there were no concrete results.

Vladivostok is located on Russia’s Pacific coast and only 130 kilometers from the border with North Korea. It is about 6,500 kilometers to Moscow. During the Cold War, the government in Moscow supported the Stalinist leadership in Pyongyang. However, after the end of the Soviet Union in 1991, relations cooled due to unrest in Russia. Today, China is considered the country with the strongest influence on North Korea.