Kim Jong Un discusses military ties with Russian defense minister

Earlier, Kim Jong Un inspected nuclear-capable strategic bombers, hypersonic missiles and warships of Russia's Pacific Fleet on Saturday, accompanied by Sergei Shoigu.

Mr. Kim Jong Un met with the Russian Minister of National Defense to discuss military relations between the two countries. Photo 1 — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walks with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu as he visits Russia's Pacific Fleet in Vladivostok. Photo: KCNA

Mr. Kim Jong Un met with the Russian Minister of National Defense to discuss military relations between the two countries. Photo 2 — Mr. Kim and Mr. Shoigu inspect the Knevichi airport near Vladivostok, Russia. Photo: Russian Defense Ministry

Mr. Kim Jong Un met with the Russian Minister of National Defense to discuss military relations between the two countries. Photo 3 — Mr. Kim shook hands with Mr. Shoigu during the visit. Photo: KCNA

Mr. Kim Jong Un met with the Russian Minister of National Defense to discuss military relations between the two countries. Photo 4 — The two delegations had dinner and discussed together. Photo: KCNA

KCNA said Kim Jong Un's trip took place at a time when "a new golden age of friendship, solidarity and cooperation is opening up in the history of the development of relations between North Korea and Russia."

Also according to KCNA, Mr. Kim and Mr. Shoigu "exchanged constructive opinions on practical issues arising in further strengthening strategic and tactical coordination, cooperation and exchanges between the armed forces of the two countries as well as in the defense and security fields of the two countries."

Shoigu told Russian media earlier that Moscow was discussing joint military exercises with North Korea. The meeting between Kim and Shoigu took place during Kim's visit to Russia's Pacific Fleet, which is equipped with strategic nuclear submarines and other military vessels.

Mr Kim's extended trip to Russia's Far East, which began on Tuesday, included talks with President Vladimir Putin at the Vostochny Space Center and a tour of a fighter jet factory in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

Upon arriving in Vladivostok, a large coastal city near the Chinese and North Korean borders, Mr Kim was greeted by Mr Shoigu and an honour guard, the state news agency TASS reported.

At Knevichi airfield, Mr. Shoigu showed Mr. Kim “the Kinzhal missile system on the MiG-31I missile carrier” and was briefed by a top military official on the system’s “flight and technical capabilities.”

Kim and Shoigu then boarded the frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov, where "the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral Nikolay Evmenov, spoke about the characteristics of the ship and its anti-submarine weapons - four-tube torpedo tubes and RBU-6000 missile launchers."

Mr. Kim is expected to visit Far Eastern Federal University and marine biology laboratories at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Vladivostok. Universities and colleges in Russia’s Far East have a history of educating North Korean students.

Hoang Hai (according to KCNA, TASS, AFP)

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