President Vladimir Putin shook hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a Russian space centre Wednesday, images released by the Kremlin showed, kicking off a meeting that could see the leaders forge an arms deal that would defy global sanctions.
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The internationally-isolated pair are meeting at the Vostochny Cosmodrome, a Russian spaceport some 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) from Vladivostok, with Putin saying the location was chosen as Moscow plans to help North Korea build satellites, RIA Novosti reported.
Wearing a dark suit and smiling widely, Kim shook Putin’s hand enthusiastically, video released by the Kremlin showed, with the two leaders then walking around the vast space centre.
“The leader of the DPRK shows great interest in rocket technology, and they are trying to develop (their presence in) space,” Putin said, referring to North Korea by its official name.
Experts say Russia will likely seek artillery shells and antitank missiles from North Korea, which wants advanced satellite and nuclear-powered submarine technology in return.
“We’ll talk about all the issues, without haste. There is time,” Putin said, when asked by reporters whether military cooperation would be on the agenda.
Kim thanked Putin for inviting him to visit, despite the Russian leader’s “busy schedule”, having earlier stressed the trip — his first post-pandemic foreign travel — showed North Korea was “prioritising the strategic importance” of its Russia ties.
Kim, who travelled overland to Russia in his bullet-proof train, is accompanied by an entourage that suggested a strong military focus for the summit.
While Pyongyang’s top leader was out of the country, North Korea fired two ballistic missiles on Wednesday, the South Korean military said, the latest in a string of sanctions-busting tests.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu — who…
