North Korea's Kim hails Russia alliance, promises Putin support on Ukraine
Leaders of the two neighbors concluded one-on-one talks that lasted about two hours, Russian media reported.
By Taejun Kang for RFA 2024.06.19 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hailed a "new, high level of alliance" with Russia on Wednesday as he promised President Vladimir Putin full support for his war in Ukraine, media reported.
Putin, on his first visit to isolated North Korea in 24 years, said after one-on-one talks with Kim that lasted for about two hours that a new comprehensive strategic partnership pact would form the basis of relations for years to come, said a correspondent from Russia's RIA Novosti news agency.
Kim said the pact signed by the two leaders was historic and he reaffirmed "full support and firm solidarity with the Russian government, armed forces and people in their struggle to defend their sovereignty, security interests and territorial integrity in Ukraine," according to a video of summit remarks released by media outlets.
"In the future, we will continue to strengthen and deepen strategic communication with the Russian leadership and Russia and unconditionally support all of Russia's policies, regardless of the complex international situation," Kim said.
Kim said relations were "at an all-time high, unparalleled even in the past relations with the Soviet Union," adding that he was confident Putin's visit would "further solidify the friendship and people-to-people foundation of the two countries."
Putin thanked Kim saying he appreciated North Korea's support.
"We very much appreciate your systematic and permanent support of Russian policy, including on the Ukrainian issue," Russian media quoted Putin as telling Kim at the start of their meeting, AFP reported.
The United States says that North Korea has supplied Russia with large amounts of weapons for its war in Ukraine, in particular artillery rounds and ballistic missiles, although both Russia and North Korea deny that.
In exchange for its weapons, North Korea is suspected of getting Russian technological assistance for its space program.
In May, the North's attempt to launch a military spy satellite ended in failure with the rocket exploding on liftoff. But in November last year, North Korea successfully placed a spy satellite into orbit, and it had planned to launch three more satellites in 2024.
Earlier on Wednesday, the two leaders attended a welcome ceremony at Pyongyang's massive Kim Il Sung Square, complete with an honor guard and rows of North Korean citizens with balloons. Buildings around the square were bedecked with the countries' flags and huge portraits of the two men, pictures in Russian state media showed.
Crowds in red, white and blue shirts waved flowers and flags as the two leaders passed by, standing in an open-top limousine.
'Solid friendship'
Both Russia and North Korea are facing wide-ranging sanctions, the former for its invasion of Ukraine and the latter for its development of nuclear bombs and the missiles to deliver them around the world.
In an apparent reference to the sanctions, Putin, in a commentary published on the eve of his visit in North Korea's state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper, called for unity in resisting "illegal and unilateral restrictions", while vowing to build alternative systems for trade and settlements with North Korea out of the control of the West.
Copyright 1998-2016, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content June not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
