Russia’s defense minister Sergei Shoigu toured a display of North’s defense exhibition of banned missiles along with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, as the two countries look forward to improving their relation, according to the report by the North Korean state media on Thursday.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Shoigu’s visit was the first by a Russian defense minister to North Korea.
North Korea welcomed Sergei Shoigu along with a Chinese delegation, including a member of the Chinese Communist Party Politburo, Li Hongzhong this week for the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War. The day is celebrated as “Victory Day”. The delegations reached North Korea as the three countries joined each other in their struggle against the US.
The United Nations Security Council, with Russia and China as its members voted in favor of banning nuclear missiles. However, this week in North Korea the two countries showcased strength of support among nations united against one rival, the US and brought back the memory of, according to analysts, their Cold War-era coalition.
It is for the first time foreign delegations visited North Korea after it kept itself isolated since the pandemic began. This also marks Pyongyang’s initiation to deepen its relations with Beijing and Moscow and identify the US and the West as its prime enemy.
On Thursday, North Korea celebrated the 1950-1952 Korean War, which it believes is the defeat of the US-led allied forces, which provides Pyongyang to look back at its Cold War days during which the country was supported by China and Russia.
The state media reported, Shoigu handed a letter to Kim on behalf of the Russian President Vladimir Putin. The letter said, “Strong support from the DPRK for the special military operation in Ukraine, (and) solidarity with Russia on key international issues further emphasize our common interest and determination to oppose the policy of the collective West, which prevents the establishment of a truly multipolar, just world order,” according to Russia’s RIA state news agency.
“(Kim) expressed his views on the issues of mutual concern in the struggle to safeguard the sovereignty, development and interests of the two countries from the high-handed and arbitrary practices of the imperialists and to realize international justice and peace,” North Korean media said.
Without directly referring to the Russian war against Ukraine, the KCNA state news agency quoted Defence Minister Kang Sun Nam as saying that North Korea completely supports Russia’s “battle for justice” and protection of its sovereignty.
Anthony Rinna, a specialist in Korea-Russia relations at Sino-NK, a website that analyzes the region, said, “North Korea inviting delegations from both countries seems to be a case of history rhyming, whereby Pyongyang is gearing up to stand up against the West, but perceives the need to maintain relatively balanced ties with both China and Russia.”
Rina stated that time will show whether these visits will motivate North Korea to lift its ban on international travel, which will allow the US to negotiate the release of US soldier Travis King, who entered North Korea last week.
However, Pyongyang may not have any discussion with Washington soon, he added, and it may view itself in a New Cold War with the United States.
Images shared by the state media include Kim and the invited dignitaries visiting North’s weapons in multi-axle transporter launchers, what appeared to the analyst as a new drone.
Ankit Panda of the US based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said, “We’ve come a long way from when North Korea would avoid showing off its nuclear capabilities when senior foreign dignitaries from Russia and China were in town”, and described the display as “remarkable”.
“The personal tour for Shoigu – and Shoigu’s willingness to be photographed with Kim in the course of this tour – is evidence that Moscow is complacent with North Korea’s ongoing nuclear modernization,” he said.
The state media also reported Kim meeting Li Hongzhong, a member of the Chinese Communist Party Politburo, who gave him a letter from the Chinese President Xi Jinping. The visit by the Chinese delegation on behalf of Xi, is a promise for both countries to bolster their friendship.
Images shown by the state media include Kim at a performance along with Shoigu and Li, with the slogan “resist US aggressors” in the backdrop. The same slogan was used by the Chinese troops at the time of the Korean War.
Following that, North Korea held a highly anticipated nighttime military parade that was intended to display some of its most recent weapons, according to the Yonhap news agency in South Korea.
No secret
Russia’s attempts to strengthen ties with North Korea as the Kremlin is in need to acquire ammunition, said John Kirby, spokesman of the White House national security.
He said, “It’s been no secret … Mr Putin is reaching out to other countries for help and support in fighting his war in Ukraine. And that includes, we know, some outreach to (North Korea).”
The Russian visit is a commitment to support their friendship with North Korea, as Russia is abandoned by the West for supporting Ukraine, analysts said. One analyst said Shoigu seeing North Korea’s missiles indicates Russia and Pyongyang entering into a nuclear weapons programme.
A professor at Russia’s Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, Artyom Lukin, said, “It may signify that the current geopolitical circumstances are starting to erode Russia’s long-standing interest in preserving the global non-proliferation regime.”
These high-level visits by foreign delegations also indicated the restoration of the Russian-Chinese-North Korean coalition, which was initially established during the late 1940s and 1950s. However, now it would be led by Beijing rather than Moscow, he added.
Lukin said, “It may signify that the current geopolitical circumstances are starting to erode Russia’s long-standing interest in preserving the global non-proliferation regime.”
South Korea’s foreign ministry noticed that Russia officially opposed North Korea’s nuclear programme and hoped the Russian delegation would support North Korea to reenter the league.
Military displays
Russia’s defense ministry and North Korean media shared images of Shoigu being welcomed at the airport by North Korean defense minister Kang Sun Nam and Russian Ambassador Alexander Matsegora, along with Russian and North Korean troops lined up.
North Korea is accused of providing arms support to Russia by the US during the Ukraine war, such as infantry rockets and missiles to the Kremlin-backed Wagner troops in November last year. Pyongyang and Moscow rejected these accusations, but Kim has promised to hold a strategic partnership between the nations.
In Pyongyang, the military parade showcased around 15,000 personnel and their latest nuclear weapons, said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.
A researcher at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS), Dave Schmerler, said commercial satellite, over the past weeks, showed images of the participants rehearsing in downtown Kim Il Sung Square where the event will be hosted, and massive formations of the number “70” along with slogans.
Military units have been practicing marching around the square track with vehicles behind them at a training area outside Pyongyang, Schmerler added, showing images from US based firm Umbra, which uses radar satellites to capture images through the cloud.
Shuttle diplomacy
According to the report of the state media KCNA, this week’s celebration began with leader Kim Jong Un paying his respect to the Chinese soldiers, who fought the war, at a cemetery called Fatherland Liberation War. This is the only defense relation China and North Korea share.
The North Korean leader revisited Fatherland Liberation War Martyrs Cemetery on Monday and honored the soldiers for inflicting defeat” on the US troops, KCNA reported.
Russia and China rejected efforts by the United States and some European countries to implement new sanctions on North Korea. They promoted eased humanitarian purposes and urge to get Pyongyang back on discussing denuclearisation, which ended in 2019.
The foreign dignitaries may indicate to resume the prolonged diplomatic visits.
