North Korea says chief Kim Jong Un has ordered unspecified steps to additional develop his nation’s relations with Russia after his latest go to
ByHYUNG-JIN KIM Related Press
September 21, 2023, 9:38 PM
On this photograph offered by the North Korean authorities, North Korea chief Kim Jong Un, middle, attends a Politburo assembly in Pyongyang, North Korea Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. Unbiased journalists weren’t given entry to cowl the occasion depicted on this picture distributed by the North Korean authorities. The content material of this picture is as offered and can’t be independently verified. (Korean Central Information Company/Korea Information Service by way of AP)
The Related Press
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean chief Kim Jong Un ordered unspecified steps to additional develop relations with Russia after his latest go to to the nation as his overseas rivals warn that any cooperation on navy weapons could be harmful and convey penalties.
Consultants speculated North Korea and Russia doubtless mentioned banned arms switch offers and different cooperation measures throughout Kim’s six-day journey final week. They are saying the 2 nations are critical about sharply boosting their ties whereas they’re engaged in separate confrontations with the West.
Throughout a Politburo assembly on Wednesday, Kim organized for work to be achieved on additional growing bilateral ties at “a brand new excessive stage on the sensible stage” to consolidate “the success” of his Russia journey, the official Korean Central Information Company mentioned Friday.
Kim underscored the necessity to broaden bilateral cooperation in each discipline, making a considerable contribution to the promotion of the well-being of the folks of the 2 nations, KCNA mentioned.
Whereas touring in Russia’s Far East, Kim met with President Vladimir Putin and visited key Russian navy and expertise websites. The 2 recommended they’d cooperate on protection points however gave no specifics, which left South Korea and its allies — together with the USA — uneasy.
Observers say Kim might ship ammunitions to refill Putin’s exhausted arms shops to again his conflict efforts in Ukraine in return for receiving refined weapons applied sciences and financial assist.
The U.S., South Korea and their companions have warned that Russia and North Korea would pay a worth in the event that they proceed with such offers in breach of U.N. Safety Council resolutions that ban any weapons commerce with North Korea. Russia, a everlasting member of the U.N. Safety Council, voted for these U.N. resolutions.
Talking earlier than the U.N. Common Meeting on Wednesday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol mentioned any motion by a everlasting U.N. Safety Council member to bypass worldwide norms could be harmful and “paradoxical.” Yoon mentioned that South Korea, along with its allies, “is not going to sit idly by” over a doable Pyongyang-Moscow weapons deal that he mentioned would pose a menace to not solely Ukraine but in addition South Korea.
Many consultants say North Korea would search Russian assist to finish the event of high-tech weapons techniques corresponding to spy satellites, nuclear-powered submarines and highly effective long-range missiles. They are saying Kim needs to modernize his weapons arsenals to wrest higher concessions from the U.S. and South Korea.
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