OAN’s James Meyers
5:16 PM – Monday, September 11, 2023
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will visit Russia for an official state visit, both countries announced on Monday.
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According to a report from ABC News, Kim is expected to meet with Putin in the next few days.
“Our Dearest Comrade Kim Jong Un will be visiting Russia upon investigation from Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the visit he will meet Putin and hold a summit,” the Korean Central News Agency said, according to the report.
North Korea’s official news agency said that Kim boarded his personal train from the capital, Pyongyang, on Sunday. He will be joining unspecified members of the country’s party, government, and military.
Experts believe that the train will take two days to arrive in the Russian city of Vladivostok, which is on the edge of the North Korean border.
The Kremlin also began a two-day trip to Vladivostok on Monday for an economic forum event, according to Russia’s TASS news agency.
Rebekah Koffler, a strategic military intelligence analyst and former senior official at the Defense Intelligence Agency, expressed that the close ties between Russia and North Korea will have “huge strategic implications for U.S. security.”
“Two of our top adversaries are joining forces, expanding military-industrial cooperation,” Koffler said. “Russia possesses one of the world’s most extensive know-how in nuclear arms and space technology. The fact that it will be sharing this know-how with North Korea is not a good thing for the United States. The fact that these two adversaries also have a close relationship with China makes matters even worse.”
According to Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin and Kim will be leading their delegations in talks and could possibly meet “one-on-one if necessary.” Peskov also said that Putin will host an official dinner for the North Korean leader.
“As with any of our neighbors, we feel obliged to develop good, mutually beneficial relations,” he added.
The Biden administration commented on the potential meeting, stating that it would be a “huge mistake” for North Korea to supply Russia with weapons to use in their ongoing war. The administration added that Pyongyang would “pay a price” if the deal transpired.
According to experts, North Korea has millions of artillery shells and rockets based on Russian designs, which will help give the Russian army and advantage and upper hand.
Kim, in exchange, will seek energy, food aid, and advanced weapons technologies, which is related to intercontinental ballistic missiles, experts say.
Analysts also claim, with the possible Russian technology transfers, it could raise the threat level of North Korea by the increase of nuclear weapons and missiles, which are designed to attack the United States, South Korea, and Japan.
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By: OAN
