Kim returns from Russia after opening ‘new chapter’ in bilateral ties: state media

Seoul, Sep 19 (EFE).- North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, is back in his country following a week-long visit to Russia, during which he opened a “new chapter” in bilateral relations, state media reported Tuesday.

Kim’s armored train crossed the only land link between North Korea and Russia and passed through the Tumangang Railway Station, located in the extreme northeast, early Monday morning, the KCNA news agency said.

“Through his visit to the Russian Federation, the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un further deepened the comradely fellowship and friendly ties with Russian President Putin and the government and people of Russia and opened a new chapter of the development of the DPRK-Russia relations,” the agency said.

The seven-day trip was the longest undertaken to date by the North Korean leader since he came to power more than a decade ago.

Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s far-eastern Amur region on Sep. 13.

Although the details of the meeting have not been made public, after the summit, Putin said that there was room for military and space cooperation between the two countries.

Last week, media outlets such as The New York Times reported, citing US intelligence sources, that Kim would be willing to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine with “millions” of anti-tank missiles and artillery, while Pyongyang would receive technology for satellites and nuclear-powered submarines in addition to food aid.

South Korea, Japan and the United States have warned that such an agreement would violate the UN Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang and will have consequences for both countries.

According to Russian media reports, Moscow so far has only admitted to having given Pyongyang several kamikaze drones and one reconnaissance drone, which would also technically violate more than one of the provisions included in the sanctions packages imposed to date on the North Korean regime for its nuclear and missile tests. EFE

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