North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, said his country “will fully support” the Russian army as a “fraternal duty”, And the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, described as “special” the ties between the two countries, Kcna state media reported Thursday.
Kim and Putin held a meeting on Wednesday outside the Chinese celebrations to commemorate Japan’s formal surrender in World War II in Beijing. The couple flanked the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, in a massive military parade at the first meeting of this type of leaders of the three countries since the first days of the Cold War.
Kim’s trip to Beijing offered the first opportunity to meet with Putin and Xi together, as well as mixing with the more than two dozen national leaders who attended the acts. Analysts consider their unprecedented meeting on Wednesday with XI and Putin as an important propaganda victory for the isolated state leader.
The photos of the state media showed Kim standing or walking with Putin and Xi elbow with a smile, and the Thursday edition of the state newspaper Rodong Sinmun predominantly stood out Kim’s visit. Kim’s whereabouts was still clear on Thursday. “Comrade Kim Jong-un and President Putin exchanged free opinions about important international and regional issues,” Kcna said.
Putin “strongly praised” North Korean soldiers fighting Ukraine and said that the relations of the two countries are “special trust, friendship and alliance,” Kcna added. North Korea has sent soldiers, artillery ammunition and missiles to Russia to support Moscow in his war against Ukraine.
The South Korean intelligence agency estimated this week that some 2,000 North Korean soldiers sent to fight for Russia have died. He believes that North Korea plans to deploy another 6,000 soldiers, of which about 1,000 are already in Russia. Kim and Putin discussed in detail the long -term association plans and reaffirmed their “firm will” to raise bilateral relations to a high level, according to Kcna.
