North Korea says Kim Jong Un has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to his country

North Korea says Kim Jong Un has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to his country
  • PublishedSeptember 14, 2023

North Korea said leader Kim Jong Un invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit North Korea following their nearly five-hour meeting on Wednesday.

According to North Korea’s state-run media, Korean Central News Agency, Kim “cordially” invited Putin to visit North Korea at a “convenient time” and that Putin accepted with “pleasure and reaffirmed his will to invariably carry forward the history” of friendship between the nations.

Earlier in the day, the two leaders had their summit and also toured a space base in Russia’s Far East and signaling a unified front against the West.

“I am so grateful you are paying such attention to our visit to Russia,” Putin said at the Vostochny Cosmodrome, adding, “I’m sure we will remain together in our fight against imperialism.”

The North Korean leader said his country supported Russia’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine.

“Russia has risen to a sacred fight to its sovereignty and security against the hegemonic forces,” Kim said. “North Korea supports all Putin’s decisions.”

The two had been expected during the summit to discuss a trade deal that may include North Korea supplying Russia with ammunition, which may be used in the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Those talks had been “actively advancing” ahead of the sit-down, a U.S. official told ABC News last week.

The high-level meeting began at about 2:30 p.m. local time, coming after days of speculation over when and where the meeting would take place. The Kremlin, which announced on Monday that the meeting was planned, had said on Tuesday it would take place in the coming days.

PHOTO: Russia's President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un visit the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far eastern Amur region, Russia, Sept. 13, 2023.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un visit the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far eastern Amur region, Russia, Sept. 13, 2023.Sputnik/via Reuters

Kim left Pyongyang on Sunday night, traveling into Russia on a slow-moving train that crossed the border into far eastern Russia Tuesday.

Putin on Monday began a two-day trip to Vladivostok, a port city near eastern Russia’s border with North Korea, where he attended an economic forum, Russia’s TASS news agency said.

PHOTO: Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, arrives at the Vostochny Cosmodrome before a meeting of Russia's President Vladimir Putin with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, in the far eastern Amur region, Russia, Sept. 13, 2023.
Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un, arrives at the Vostochny Cosmodrome before a meeting of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un, in the far eastern Amur region, Russia, Sept. 13, 2023.Sputnik/via Reuters

Putin greeted Kim in front of the building on Wednesday.

Both leaders arrived for the summit with entourages. Kim’s included his sister, Kim Yo Jong. He was also joined by Pak Jong Chon, a top aide, and Ri Pyong Chol, commander of the Korean Peoples Army. Putin arrived with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

“I’m very glad to see you,” Putin said upon greeting Kim, according to RIA News, a state-run media outlet.

The two shook hands and walked inside, where Kim later signed a visitor’s book, writing, “Glory to Russia.”

SOURCE: ABCNEWS

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