Russia's defense minister accompanied North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to a defense exhibition that featured the North's banned ballistic missiles as the neighbors pledged to boost ties, North Korean state media reported on Thursday.
The Russian minister, Sergei Shoigu, and a Chinese delegation including a Politburo member arrived in North Korea this week for the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War celebrated in North Korea as "Victory Day".
The missiles were banned under U.N. Security Council resolutions adopted with Russian and Chinese support but this week they provided a striking backdrop for a show of solidarity by three countries united by their rivalry with the U.S.
Shoigu is making the first visit by a Russian defense minister to North Korea since the fall of the Soviet Union.
For North Korea, the arrival of the Russian and Chinese delegations marks its first major opening up to the world since the coronavirus pandemic.
Shoigu gave Kim a letter from Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean media reported.
Kim thanked Putin for sending the military delegation led by Shoigu, saying the visit had deepened the "strategic and traditional" relations between North Korea and Russia.
"Kim expressed his views on the issues of mutual concern in the struggle to safeguard the sovereignty, development and interests of the two countries from the high-handed and arbitrary practices of the imperialists and to realize international justice and peace," North Korean media said.
"He repeatedly expressed belief that the Russian army and people would achieve big successes in the struggle for building a powerful country," it said.
KCNA did not refer to the war in Ukraine but North Korea's defense minister, Kang Sun Nam, was reported as saying North Korea fully supported Russia's "battle for justice" and to protect its sovereignty.
Kim led Shoigu on a tour of an exhibition of new weapons and military equipment, KCNA said.
State media photographs showed Kim and his guests at a display of some of the North's ballistic missiles in multi-axle transporter launchers. Another image showed what analysts said appeared to be a new drone.
One analyst said Shoigu's inspection of the North Korean missiles visit suggested Russian acceptance of North Korea's nuclear program.
"We've come a long way from when North Korea would avoid showing off its nuclear capabilities when senior foreign dignitaries from Russia and China were in town," said Ankit Panda of the U.S.-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, calling the tour "remarkable".
"The personal tour for Shoigu - and Shoigu's willingness to be photographed with Kim in the course of this tour - is evidence that Moscow is complacent with North Korea's ongoing nuclear modernization," he said.
Kim also met Chinese Communist Party Politburo member Li Hongzhong for talks and was handed a letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping, North Korean media reported.
The visit by Li's delegation showed Xi's commitment to "attach great importance to the DPRK-China friendship," Kim was quoted as saying by the North's KCNA state news agency, referring to the North the initial of its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The Russian visit raises the prospect of more open support for North Korea, especially with Russia isolated by the West over is invasion of Ukraine, analysts said.
"While Russia has kept its official military cooperation with the North Korea limited, any veritable rupture in the so-called post-Cold War order may see Russia more willing to openly violate sanctions, especially given their relatively lax attitude to the shifts in North Korea's nuclear status last year," said Anthony Rinna, a specialist in Korea-Russia relations at the Sino-NK think tank.
Last year, North Korea codified a new, expansive nuclear law declaring its status as a nuclear-armed state "irreversible".
This month, it threatened nuclear retaliation over a show of force by the United States, saying the deployment of strategic military assets near the Korean peninsula could meet criteria for its use of nuclear weapons.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Russia's overtures to North Korea comes as the Kremlin struggles to procure arms.
"It’s been no secret ... Mr Putin is reaching out to other countries for help and support in fighting his war in Ukraine. And that includes, we know, some outreach to the DPRK," he said.
North Korea has backed the Kremlin over its war with Ukraine and has shipped weapons including infantry rockets and missiles in support of Russia's war, the White House has said.
North Korea and Russia deny they have conducted arms transactions.
© Thomson Reuters 2023.
32 Comments
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OssanAmerica
No question that if Russia continues it's war with Ukraine and China invades Taiwan, North Korea will use the WWIII scenario to invade South Korea.
UChosePoorly
Damn, dude in the back, leave some medals for the rest of us.
Blacklabel
Yeah feckless US foreign policy doing a super great job uniting all our enemies against us at once.
While we also deplete our weapons supply and our strategic reserves of oil at the same time.
Strangerland
That's what our right-wing MAGA media tells us. We know the truth! Our country, while being the best that ever existed, with the strongest military ever, is the worst country that has ever existed, is hated by everyone, and has a weak military.
Why can't you libs figure this out?
Samit Basu
@OssanJapan
Kim has no death wish, because that's the fastest way to commit suicide. The North Korean nukes are to deter the ROK's preemptive invasion of North Korea.
https://breakingdefense.com/2023/07/hanwha-defeats-rheinmetall-for-5-7-billion-aussie-infantry-fighting-vehicle-deal/
Michael Machida
This is Kim's Sale & Marketing Conference. Sales may be good this quarter for the DKRP.
Fredrik
Would it not have been better for the North Korean people, if we had lured NK closer to the west, rather than forcing them to align with Russia and China?
Olegek
my congratulations to Japanese diplomacy
Dr.Cajetan Coelho
Humankind is thirsting for peace. World leaders have the responsibility to provide water, food, shelter, clothing, education, and healthcare for every citizen of the Planet. Long live humanity.
Legrande
OssanAmericaToday 12:51 pm JST
No question that if Russia continues it's war with Ukraine and China invades Taiwan, North Korea will use the WWIII scenario to invade South Korea.
As pointed out above by another poster not as likely as you would have people believe.
elephant200
America is a big bully, they wages massive war drills every year against North Korea and now they parked two nuclear submarines in South Korea as show of force. What does North Korea has to threaten South Korea with a population just half of the South?
It is right that North Korea demonstrate their capabilities of retaliations by firing ballistic missiles to let the world know their Defiance. America just can a bloody hurt for failed to conquer a small nation. They have grudge and they can't save their face for decades!
elephant200
What does "Banned" missiles mean ?
The weapon that US,South Korea, Japan feared the most because they have no confidence to intercept or deter in conventional wars. That UN ban was ridiculously unprofound !
The North Koreans should build more for the sake of national security. What if Russia and China tells the UNSC: Ban stealth bombers like B2. Because we doesn't own this kind of weapon.
Elvis is here
No they aren't. Not while NK is a minimal threat to SK. SK is unlikely to want to invade the improvised north unless necessary. A collapse of the north's system would be less costly overall, and easier to manage as no martyrs will be made
The NK weapons are used to get the worlds's attention, and to legitimise the current regime.
Mike Hunt
Do they all use the same tailor?
Blacklabel
North Korea decided those missiles are not banned. despite most of the world disagreeing.
TaiwanIsNotChina
What makes you think your thrice indicted former president has a better plan in mind?
But never the US agreeing. NK agreed to the NPT until they didn't. Also it is in the best interests of the world that they not have nukes. If you were an actual patriot you would understand all of these things.
TaiwanIsNotChina
And how exactly would that happen without surrendering to Kim's demands? You think they are just waiting for access to Instagram?
TaiwanIsNotChina
The US is not currently in the midst of an invasion nor threatening one.
Uh, it's nukes? They still do a remarkable job of dressing up 1 million soldiers, too.
The US didn't lose a conventional war on its border like Russia did in Ukraine. Looks like lots of countries have lost "face". You have to play the game to win.
The UN Security Council said they are banned. So sad that NK didn't even have friends in Russia and China at the time to stop it.
It's kept NK off of the world stage quite successfully I would say.
If they can get it past the US veto, they are welcome to try. Instead there will be much laughter.
Mark
Where can I get one of these Jackets with all these Concho's and stickers so I can look important , LOL It must weigh a ton!!
elephant200
For long term here I am talking half a century later, North Korea will win the unification war as South Korea birth rate declining very much is the most serious one in Asia. Fewer young people but more and more old people in the south. They just have to wait the South's decimated. But they still have to own ballistic missiles ICBM and nuclear arsenals to tell America don't try to come back. The North Korea must keep up the traditional communists society and giving more birth of children, there must be a generation of North Koreans marching to the south and ruling there with their final victory!
TaiwanIsNotChina
If they are not careful they will lose more to starvation than are born.
Mark
After 25 years of ruling NK little kim still has these guys with note pads following him, guess they haven't figure out recording is much more accurate yet but then little kim may not look as important !
ebisen
Yeah, Russia and China, both permanent members of the UN, gladly approving mass extintion tools banned by the same UN. I say, let's disband the UN and create something new, without these two nations taking everyone else hostage. I wonder why must other countries obey these disgusting ones and their veto right?
PTownsend
The 'missiles were banned with Russian and Chinese support,' but now Russia and China want to breathe life back into the North Korean monster they helped create. Is there a wonder why so many nations have little faith in what Russia and China say.
Still the anti-west, pro-authoritarian extremists including some living in democratic nations support totalitarian regimes and push candidates that seek to see democracy ended.
WA4TKG
Isn't that just the cutest little commie ?
OssanAmerica
We would have, but the USSR backed Kim Il Sung to establish the DPRK communist state.
You seem to have a problem placing blame where it belongs.
lincolnman
When the only friends you can visit where you won't be arrested as a war criminal are North Korea, China, and Iran, you know you're pretty friendless....
Eastman
next may be Fumio to see how functional rocket looks like :) and bring with some oyaji from Tanegashima
wallace
More than 20 million North Koreans suffer from famine and lack of healthcare. Many have intestinal worms from using human waste for fertilizers.
moonbloom
TaiwanIsNotChinaToday 03:17 pm JST
If they are not careful they will lose more to starvation than are born.
Yes, thanks in large part to the choking sanctions which have been placed on them.
HonestDictator
@Moonbloom, poor attempt at trying to distract from REALITY and FACTS.
Sanctions that were placed on them because they violated the agreement that NK would not proliferate nuclear weapons while US and other nations provided food aid. Here is the problem. When the US and other nations provided food aid to prevent starvation in NK, Kim's regime diverted money towards nuclear weapon's research... instead of feeding his people. When the US and other nations stopped the food aid because he was diverting money towards nuclear R&D (which was violating the agreement), the NK regime continued to put money towards nuclear R&D.... instead of FEEDING HIS PEOPLE. NK literally tried to make suicide illegal for it's own citizens because those same citizens believe death is far better than continuing to try to survive the Kim's completely messed up priorities and oppressive rule. The Kim's run their own country into the ground. No citizens left = no country.