North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived at a cosmodrome in Russia’s Far East for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian President warmly welcomed Kim and expressed his happiness at seeing him. The purpose of their meeting is to discuss various issues, including Russia’s assistance in building satellites for North Korea.
The two leaders started their meeting by visiting a Soyuz-2 space rocket launch facility, where Kim Jong Un had several questions about the rockets. Interestingly, while the meeting was taking place, North Korea fired two ballistic missiles into the sea. This launch is part of a series of provocative weapons tests conducted by North Korea since the beginning of 2022. The timing of these tests coincides with Putin’s war on Ukraine, which has diverted international attention.
The exact range of the missiles is unknown, but Japan’s Coast Guard has urged vessels to be cautious of falling objects. For Putin, this meeting presents an opportunity to replenish ammunition stores depleted by the ongoing 18-month war. Kim Jong Un, on the other hand, aims to alleviate the effects of crippling UN sanctions and end years of diplomatic isolation. However, it is important to note that an arms deal between the two leaders would violate international sanctions that Russia has previously supported.
The visit is closely observed by Western countries, particularly the United States, which has warned North Korea against entering into an arms deal with Russia in light of the war in Ukraine. This visit reveals a new Cold War alignment, with North Korea, Russia, and China on one side, and South Korea, Japan, and the United States on the other. If North Korea decides to supply arms to Russia, the already severe Western sanctions against the country could intensify.
Furthermore, North Korea has shown resistance to Western sanctions and has reportedly provided infantry rockets and missiles to the Wagner Group in 2022. The outcome of Kim Jong Un’s meeting with Putin will have significant implications for the region and global politics.
Please note that this is a rewritten and reformatted version of the original article.