It is pretty clear that North Korea expects help from Russia to jump start their space program in return for the arms they are about to export to them in support of their war in Ukraine:
This AFP photo shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (R) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (C) smiling during their meeting at the Vostochny Cosmodrome space center in Russia’s Amur region on Sept. 13, 2023. (Yonhap)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Wednesday pledged to throw his full support behind Russian President Vladimir Putin as the two isolated leaders held a rare summit at Russia’s rocket launch facility, as concerns grow over a possible arms deal between Pyongyang and Moscow.
Proposing a toast at an official dinner after the summit, Kim told Putin that the Russian army and people will triumph over “evil” forces, in apparent endorsement of its war in Ukraine.
Kim said he was confident that Russia will win a great victory in the “sacred” struggle to punish the “evil” with hegemonic pretensions. The summit came amid concerns that the two countries may advance arms negotiations and bolster military cooperation.
Kim, via a translator, added that he is deeply convinced that the Russian army and people will demonstrate their priceless virtues of honor in the apparent “special military operation” in Ukraine and building a strong state.
Following the summit talks held at the Vostochny space center in Russia’s Amur region, Putin told a local news channel that he sees prospects for military and technical cooperation with the North.
Putin also announced that Kim will travel to Komsomolsk-on-Amur and Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East after the summit.
Yonhap
You can read more at the link, but since Kim Jong-un has jumped out and supported preemptive wars he shouldn’t complain in the future if a “special military operation” is launched against him.
It appears the going rate for a DPK politician to visit North Korea is at least $3 million:
Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was grilled by prosecutors again Tuesday over allegations of his involvement in a company’s illegal remittance to North Korea in 2019.
Lee, chair of the main opposition Democratic Party, left the Suwon District Prosecutors Office after around five hours of questioning on charges of third-party bribery, three days after he underwent the first round of questioning on Saturday.
“I don’t know why (investigators) called me again, as they again failed to put forth even a single piece of evidence,” Lee told reporters upon leaving the office.
The investigation centers on allegations that Ssangbangwool Group, an underwear maker, illegally transferred US$8 million to North Korea between January 2019 and January 2020 on behalf of Gyeonggi Province.
Prosecutors suspect that, of the total remittance, $5 million was meant for Gyeonggi’s smart farm support program in North Korea while the remaining $3 million was what the North had demanded as the cost of facilitating Lee’s visit to North Korea.
Yonhap
You can read more at the link, but this story only came out because the former company chairman was arrested for embezzlement and made the accusations.
Kim Jong-un meets paramilitary parade participants
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (in white shirt, 1st row) joins a photo session with the participants of a paramilitary parade in Pyongyang on Sept. 10, 2023, in this photo captured from the North’s Korean Central Television the next day. The parade, staged Sept. 8 to mark the 75th anniversary of the country’s founding, was mostly led by the Worker-Peasant Red Guards, a civilian defense organization in the North consisting of around 5.7 million workers and farmers. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Today is likely summit time for Kim Jong-un and Putin to close out their arms deal. It will be interesting to see if the terms of the deal are released:
This photo, carried by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency on Sept. 12, 2023, shows the North’s leader Kim Jong-un leaving Pyongyang for a trip to Russia on his special train.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrived in Russia early Tuesday, an official at South Korea’s defense ministry said, as Kim is set to hold a rare summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with concerns growing over a possible arms deal between Pyongyang and Moscow.
North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) confirmed early Tuesday that Kim had left Pyongyang for Russia aboard his train Sunday afternoon, accompanied by leading officials of the North’s ruling party and the armed forces.
The KCNA said Kim “left here by his train on Sunday afternoon to visit the Russian Federation.”
Hours after the KCNA report, Jeon Ha-kyou, a spokesperson at South Korea’s defense ministry, gave an assessment that Kim’s train had crossed into Russia early Tuesday, adding that the ministry is closely monitoring for possible talks between the two countries over arms trade.
Yonhap
You can read more at the link.
The fact that Kim Jong-un is traveling to Vladivostok to meet with Putin means the arms deal is done and North Korean artillery shells should start being delivered to Russian units in Ukraine soon:
Police and military personnel are spotted at a platform of Vladivostok rail station in the far eastern Russian city on Sept. 11, 2023. (Yonhap)
Security measures appeared to have been strengthened at the rail station in Russia’s far eastern city of Vladivostok on Monday amid speculation that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could visit Russia this week for talks with President Vladimir Putin.
As of 5:40 p.m., a large number of police personnel were spotted inside Vladivostok station, unlike the previous day. A South Korean government official told Yonhap News Agency earlier in the day that a special train presumed to be carrying Kim appeared to be traveling to Vladivostok.
Soldiers with service dogs, men in black suits, as well as a black car surrounded by police officials entering the platform were also seen at the station, although it was unclear whether the vehicle was related to Kim’s possible visit.
The New York Times reported last week that Kim plans to travel to Vladivostok, possibly by armored train this month, for talks with Putin to discuss the North’s potential supply of its artillery shells and other weaponry for Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
Yonhap
You can read more at the link.
It was party time in Pyongyang this weekend and the Chinese made sure to come over and party with Kim Jong-un:
North Korea staged a paramilitary parade in Pyongyang on Saturday to mark the 75th anniversary of the regime’s founding day, with leader Kim Jong-un in attendance, the North’s state media said.
Kim observed the military parade that took place “with splendor” at Kim Il Sung Square to celebrate the founding anniversary, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Kim did not deliver a speech at the event, which was also attended by his daughter, believed to be named Ju-ae.
Also present were a Chinese delegation, led by Vice Premier Liu Guozhong, and visiting members of a Russian army song and dance ensemble, the report added. Russia did not send a separate delegation this time.
Yonhap
You can read more at the link.
