On the fourth day of his visit to Russia, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected Russia’s Pacific fleet and warplanes, raising concerns about potential military cooperation between the two nations. Accompanied by Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, Kim toured the Knevichi airfield in Vladivostok. During the tour, he was shown Russia’s strategic bombers, including the Tu-160, Tu-95, and Tu-22 bombers. Shoigu also showcased Russia’s latest missile, the hypersonic Kinzhal, carried by the MiG-31 fighter jet.
Afterwards, Kim traveled to Vladivostok, where he inspected Russia’s Pacific fleet frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov and learned about its capabilities and weapons. On September 15, he visited aviation facilities in the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, including the Yuri Gagarin Aviation Plant, which is under U.S. sanctions. The North Korean state media reported that Kim was impressed with the Russian aircraft manufacturing industry and hoped for higher production growth at the plant in the future. He had the opportunity to meet test pilots, board a Su-57 fighter jet, and witness a test flight.
These visits came after Kim’s talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 13, where he expressed his full support for Russia’s “sacred fight.” Prior to the meeting, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea, drawing condemnation from South Korea and Japan.
South Korea’s National Security Council issued a warning to both North Korea and Russia, stating that they would face consequences if they violated United Nations Security Council resolutions through military cooperation. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson mentioned potential negative impacts on the relationship between South Korea and Russia due to military cooperation, without providing further details.
President Putin stated that Russia seeks good neighborly relations with North Korea and reassured that they would not violate any agreements. However, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan expressed skepticism and maintained the U.S. position that discussions regarding the provision of weapons by North Korea to Russia to harm Ukrainians are ongoing and should be closely monitored.
The summit between Russia and North Korea has attracted attention from Washington and its allies, as they are concerned about the possibility of arms and defense technology trade between the two isolated nations.