Government sources have confirmed that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has commenced a train journey on Monday, strongly suggesting a forthcoming meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Russia, amidst heightened scrutiny of their discussions regarding arms trade, sparking concerns about potential support for Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
Last week, the U.S. government indicated that such a meeting might occur as a component of Russia’s quest to identify new sources for weapons to employ in its conflict with Ukraine.
Both nations did not provide details regarding the timing, location, or the potential agenda of the upcoming meeting. The Kremlin announced on Monday that Kim would undertake an official visit to Russia “in the coming days,” while North Korean state media simply mentioned they would “meet and have a talk.”
As of Monday, South Korean government officials, preferring anonymity due to the situation’s sensitivity, reported that the armored train, believed to be transporting Kim, was gradually moving towards the northeastern border.
The North Korean leader is known for his preference for traveling in a luxurious armored train, a tradition passed down from his father. However, rail travel constitutes less than half of his foreign journeys, with three out of nine trips being taken by plane and two, both to the DMZ, being undertaken by car.
Kim’s visit marks his initial foreign journey since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, and given North Korea’s prolonged border closures over the past three years, the country has only recently started easing travel restrictions.
US intelligence has disclosed details about the potential summit timetable, creating the prospect of the meeting being rescheduled to different dates, locations, or possibly even Moscow. Additionally, South Korean intelligence agency reports from last week have suggested the possibility of Kim making an unexpected decision and diverging from the anticipated route.
Nevertheless, the summit is expected to go forward as initially scheduled, occurring alongside the Eastern Economic Forum, as confirmed by a source earlier in the day, eliminating the likelihood of the summit being relocated to Moscow. Seoul officials anticipate the meeting to occur either on Tuesday or Wednesday, with the assumption that Kim will remain in Russia until Wednesday.
North Korea is currently subjected to United Nations and U.S. sanctions due to its weapons of mass destruction program. The prospective meeting between Putin and Kim raises concerns that it could enable Pyongyang to acquire weaponry prohibited by these sanctions, particularly for its nuclear-capable ballistic missile program, which has been restricted for over two decades.
Accusations have been made against Russia for allegedly providing North Korea with advanced weaponry technologies, such as satellites and nuclear-powered submarines, while Kim has overseen the development of weapons as a component of North Korea’s five-year defense strategy, spanning from 2021 to 2026.
In an interpellation session of the National Assembly on September 6th, South Korea’s Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup recognized the mutual interactions occurring between North Korea and Russia, vowing to collaborate with the United States in devising and implementing countermeasures in response.
“If it is confirmed that discussions have taken place regarding nuclear-powered submarines between Russia and North Korea, we will initiate discussions with the US on this issue.” South Korea’s Unification Ministry on Monday said, “The government expresses concerns regarding the raised possibility of military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.”
On the preceding Tuesday, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan cautioned North Korea that it would face consequences if it were to engage in an arms agreement with Russia, although he did not provide details regarding these possible consequences.
(Source: Ji Da-gyum | The Korea Herald | Jake Kwon | Gawon Bae | Jessie Yeung | Brad Lendon | CNN)
