Reports indicate that North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, has commenced his journey to Vladivostok for an upcoming summit with Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin.
According to South Korean media sources citing a government official, Kim’s armored train, typically used for his foreign visits, has left Pyongyang. The summit is anticipated to occur as early as Tuesday local time.
Earlier, the Russian news agency Interfax had reported that Kim’s visit to Russia was expected “in the coming days.” This summit marks Kim Jong Un’s first international trip in over four years and his first since the onset of the pandemic.
During the meeting, the two leaders are likely to discuss the potential for North Korea to provide military support to Russia for its involvement in the conflict in Ukraine, as indicated by a US official speaking to the BBC’s US partner, CBS.
Kim Jong Un’s previous foreign trip was to Vladivostok in 2019 for his initial summit with Putin, following the breakdown of North Korea’s nuclear disarmament talks with then-US President Donald Trump.
The North Korean leader’s travel to Vladivostok involves an armored train rumored to include at least 20 bulletproof cars, making it heavier than standard trains and limited to a maximum speed of 59 km/h (37 mph). The journey to Vladivostok is expected to span an entire day.
This potential meeting comes after the White House disclosed that arms negotiations between North Korea and Russia were “actively advancing,” with Russia’s Defence Minister, Sergei Shoigu, reportedly attempting to negotiate the purchase of artillery ammunition from Pyongyang during a recent visit to North Korea.
Russia is believed to be in need of 122mm and 152mm shells due to dwindling stocks, although determining North Korea’s full artillery inventory is challenging due to its secretive nature.
The weapons displayed during the meeting between Kim Jong Un and Sergei Shoigu in July included the Hwasong intercontinental ballistic missile, believed to be North Korea’s first ICBM to use solid propellants.
This event marked the first time Kim Jong Un had opened North Korea’s doors to foreign guests since the onset of the Covid pandemic.