Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, halfway left, with North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang Chol, halfway right, attends a invited ceremonial connected his accomplishment astatine a Pyongyang airport, North Korea. (AP)
North Korean person Kim Jong Un vowed his state volition “invariably support” Russia’s warfare successful Ukraine arsenic helium met Russia’s defence chief, the North’s authorities media reported Saturday.
A Russia subject delegation led by Defense Minister Andrei Belousov arrived successful North Korea connected Friday, amid increasing planetary interest astir the 2 countries’ expanding practice aft North Korea sent thousands of troops to Russia past month.
The authoritative Korean Central News Agency said that Kim and Belousov reached “a satisfactory consensus” connected boosting strategical concern and defending each country’s sovereignty, information interests and planetary justness successful the look of the rapidly-changing planetary information environments successful a Friday meeting.
Kim said that North Korea “will invariably enactment the argumentation of the Russian Federation to support its sovereignty and territorial integrity from the imperialists’ moves for hegemony,” KCNA said.North Korea has supported Russia’s penetration of Ukraine, calling it a antiaircraft effect to what some Moscow and Pyongyang telephone NATO’s “reckless” eastward beforehand and U.S.-led moves to stamp retired Russia’s presumption arsenic a almighty state.
Kim slammed a U.S. determination earlier successful November to fto Ukraine onslaught targets wrong Russia with U.S.-supplied longer-range missiles arsenic a nonstop involution successful the conflict. He called caller Russian strikes connected Ukraine “a timely and effectual measure” show Russia’s resolve, KCNA said.
According to U.S., Ukrainian and South Korean assessments, North Korea has sent much than 10,000 troops to Russia and immoderate of them person already begun engaging successful combat connected the frontlines. U.S., South Korean and others accidental North Korea has besides shipped artillery systems, missiles and different accepted weapons to replenish Russia’s exhausted weapons inventory.
Both North Korea and Russia haven’t formally confirmed the North Korean troops’ movements, and person steadfastly denied reports of weapons shipments. South Korea, the U.S. and their partners are acrophobic that Russia could springiness North Korea precocious weapons exertion successful return, including assistance to physique much almighty atomic missiles.
Last week, South Korean nationalist information advisor Shin Wonsik told a section SBS TV programme that that Seoul assessed that Russia has provided aerial defence rocket systems to North Korea. He said Russia besides appeared to person fixed economical assistance to North Korea and assorted subject technologies, including those needed for the North’s efforts to physique a reliable space-based surveillance system.
Belousov besides met North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang Chol connected Friday. During a meal banquet aboriginal the aforesaid day, Belousov said the the 2 countries’ strategical concern was important to support their sovereignty from aggression and the arbitrary actions of imperialists, KCNA said.
In June, Kim and Putin signed a pact requiring some countries to supply contiguous subject assistance if either is attacked. It’s considered the 2 countries’ biggest defence woody since the extremity of the Cold War.