SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean chief Kim Jong Un held discussions with Russia’s protection minister on strengthening “strategic and tactical coordination” between the nations’ militaries, the North’s state media mentioned Sunday, as Kim continued a go to to Russia’s Far East that has raised considerations about an arms alliance that may gas Moscow’s battle on Ukraine.
The talks with Protection Minister Sergei Shoigu got here after Kim on Friday was proven a few of Russia’s most superior weapons programs deployed for its battle on Ukraine, together with nuclear-capable bombers and hypersonic missiles, and a key warship of its Pacific fleet, the Korean Central Information Company mentioned.
Kim’s journey, highlighted by a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, has underscored how their pursuits are aligning within the face of separate, intensifying confrontations with the West. U.S. and South Korean officers have mentioned North Korea may present badly wanted munitions for Putin’s battle on Ukraine in trade for stylish Russian weapons expertise that may advance Kim’s nuclear ambitions.
Whereas his predominant focus is on army cooperation, Kim additionally seems to be utilizing his journey to encourage broader exchanges between the nations as he tries to interrupt out of diplomatic isolation.
The governor of Russia’s Primorye area, which incorporates Vladivostok, mentioned he plans to satisfy with Kim on Sunday. Gov. Oleg Kozhemyako mentioned on his messaging app channel they’d focus on trade packages for schoolchildren to attend summer time camps in each other’s nation and different methods to cooperate in sports activities, tourism and tradition. Russian media mentioned Kim can also go to meals business companies in Primorye.
A day after visiting an plane plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur that produces Russia’s strongest fighter jets, Kim on Saturday traveled to an airport close to the port metropolis of Vladivostok, the place Shoigu and different senior army officers gave him an up-close have a look at Russia’s strategic bombers and different warplanes.
All of the Russian warplanes proven to Kim have been among the many sorts which have seen energetic use within the battle in Ukraine, together with the Tu-160, Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers which have often launched cruise missiles.
Throughout Kim’s go to, Shoigu and Lt. Gen. Sergei Kobylash, the commander of the Russian long-range bomber power, confirmed for the primary time that the Tu-160 had just lately acquired new cruise missiles with a variety of greater than 6,500 kilometers (over 4,040 miles).
Shoigu, who had met Kim throughout a uncommon go to to North Korea in July, additionally confirmed Kim one other of Russia’s newest missiles, the hypersonic Kinzhal, carried by the MiG-31 fighter jet, that noticed its first fight throughout the battle in Ukraine.
Kim and Shoigu later traveled to Vladivostok, the place they inspected the Admiral Shaposhnikov frigate. Russia’s navy commander, Adm. Nikolai Yevmenov, briefed Kim on the ship’s capabilities and weapons, which embody long-range Kalibr cruise missiles that Russian warships have often fired at targets in Ukraine.
KCNA, which has reported Kim’s actions in Russia a day late whereas crafting the small print to satisfy authorities propaganda functions, mentioned Kim was accompanied on Saturday’s visits by his high army officers, together with his protection minister and the highest commanders of his air power and navy.
Following a luncheon, Kim and Shoigu talked concerning the regional safety atmosphere and exchanged views on “sensible points arising in additional strengthening the strategic and tactical coordination, cooperation and mutual trade between the armed forces of the 2 nations,” KCNA mentioned.
Of their July assembly, Kim gave Shoigu an analogous inspection of North Korean weapons programs earlier than inviting him to an enormous parade within the capital, Pyongyang, the place he rolled out his strongest intercontinental ballistic missiles designed to focus on america.
Kim’s visits to army and expertise websites this week presumably trace at what he needs from Russia, maybe in trade for supplying munitions to refill Putin’s declining reserves as his invasion of Ukraine turns into a drawn-out battle of attrition.
Kim’s assembly with Putin was held at Russia’s principal spaceport, a location that pointed to his need for Russian help in his efforts to accumulate space-based reconnaissance property and missile applied sciences.
Specialists have mentioned potential army cooperation between the nations may embody efforts to modernize North Korea’s outdated air power, which depends on warplanes despatched from the Soviet Union within the Nineteen Eighties.
Kim in current months has additionally refocused on strengthening the nation’s navy, which analysts say might be pushed by ambitions to acquire Russia’s refined applied sciences for ballistic missile submarines and nuclear-propelled submarines in addition to to provoke joint naval workout routines between Russia and North Korea.
Later Saturday, Kim visited a neighborhood theater to look at Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Magnificence ballet efficiency. KCNA mentioned Kim acquired a rousing ovation by individuals on the theater and expressed “deep because of the performers and the theater for his or her spectacular and stylish ballet of excessive inventive worth.”
Russia’s RIA Novosti state information company mentioned Kim left after the primary act.