Putin’s Potential Visit to North Korea Raises Concerns Over Military Ties
Officials from South Korea and the United States have expressed concerns about a possible impending visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to North Korea. They warn that such a visit could deepen military ties between the two countries, potentially violating UN Security Council resolutions.
South Korea’s vice foreign minister, Kim Hong-kyun, in an emergency phone call with US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, said Putin’s visit should not result in more military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow in violation of the resolutions, according to Seoul’s foreign ministry.
Echoing Kim’s concerns, Campbell pledged continued cooperation to tackle potential regional instability and challenges caused by the trip.
Russia has used North Korean-made missiles and artillery shells to attack targets in Ukraine, officials in Washington, Seoul, and Kyiv, as well as United Nations sanctions monitors and independent experts have said.
North Korea and Russia have denied arms deals but vowed to deepen cooperation across the board, including in military relations.
Speaking at the Stimson Center think tank in Washington on Wednesday, Campbell said the United States has a very good understanding of what North Korea has provided Russia, which he said has had “a substantial impact on the battlefield”.
Less clear, he said, is what Russia has provided North Korea. “Hard currency? Is it energy? Is it capabilities that allow them to advance their nuclear or missile products? We don’t know. But we’re concerned by that and watching carefully,” he said.
Civilian aircraft have been cleared from Pyongyang’s airport and there are signs of preparations for a possible parade in the capital’s Kim Il Sung Square, NK Pro, a Seoul-based website, reported this week, citing commercial satellite imagery.
“It remains possible that the parade or large event will not coincide with Putin’s visit, but as Kim is likely to treat their summit with great importance, it’s also possible North Korea could put on a special event to celebrate Russian-DPRK ties at the square,” wrote Colin Zwirko, a senior analytical correspondent with NK Pro.
In past instances, such preparations were made only days before the event, he added.
The US intelligence community believes that the relationship between Russia and North Korea will remain “far short” of a formal alliance due to their parochial interests and wariness of each other, ultimately limiting their cooperation.
