Russia invited North Korean troops to its Victory Day celebrations amid speculation that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may visit Moscow next year after a visit to Pyongyang by Russia’s Defense Minister.
Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov wrapped up a two-day visit to Pyongyang, North Korean state media reported Sunday, which included a meeting with leader Kim Jong-un on Friday to discuss military ties and cooperation between the two countries.
Kim met with Belousov on Friday and said that “the government, military and people of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will unwaveringly support the Russian Federation’s policy of defending the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity against imperialist hegemony maneuvers,” referring to North Korea and Russia by its official names.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported in an English-language report on Saturday that Kim met with Belousov, who had been visiting Pyongyang since Friday at the head of a Russian military delegation, and had a “friendly and trustworthy conversation.”
“The recent anti-Russian measures taken by the United States are irresponsible acts that prolong conflicts and threaten all of humanity, and they deserve to be condemned by the international community,” Kim told Belousov, according to the KCNA.
Kim also said that “the U.S. and the West’s use of authorities in Kyiv to attack Russian territory with their own long-range strike weapons constitutes directly military intervention in the Russian territorial dispute,” adding that “Russia’s decisive action to make hostile forces pay a corresponding price is an exercise of its right to self-defense.”
The KCNA reported that Kim criticized the West’s recent provision of U.S.-made Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and British-made Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine, allowing Kyiv to attack the Russian mainland, and expressed support for Russia’s response of launching its latest hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile, the Oreshnik, into Ukraine.
“There is a need to show with clear action that the provocative forces, including the U.S., will not benefit from ignoring Russia’s warnings,” Kim also said during the meeting with Belousov, according to the KCNA.
The KCNA also reported that Kim and Belousov had a wide-ranging exchange of opinions on issues such as defense, the development of a comprehensive strategic partnership between North Korea and Russia, and matters related to protecting the sovereignty and security interests of the two countries and international justice and that the two reached a “satisfactory consensus.”
Kim also expressed his will to “expand and develop relations between the two countries more vigorously in all areas including politics, economy and military” per the agreement reached at the North Korea-Russia summit in June.
Although the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia was not mentioned in North Korean media reports, as Kim mentioned Pyongyang’s military support for Moscow’s territorial integrity policy and the development of military relations, there is speculation that additional weapons and troop support were discussed during Belousov’s visit this time.
Russia also invited North Korean troops to the Victory Day celebrations commemorating Russia’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II next year.
Belousov said that “we are waiting for a positive decision” regarding the invitation of North Korean military units to the 80th anniversary of the Victory Day parade to be held at Red Square in Moscow on May 9 next year, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
Russia holds a Victory Day event annually to commemorate the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II in 1945, with the highlight being a large-scale parade that showcases various Russian military units and weapons.
The Victory Day parade and following events have been mentioned as an occasion when Kim could visit Moscow, but observers say an intensive bilateral meeting between Kim and Putin at the Victory Day event would be unlikely because many other foreign leaders would be present.
With the emergence of variables such as the recent escalation of the situation in Ukraine, U.S. President-elect Trump’s inauguration in January next year and the possibility of peace negotiations, the outlook for the timing of the visit has also become mixed.
BY HAN YOUNG-HYE, LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]
