BBC "Kim Jong-un and Putin Expect Mutual Benefits... Not a 'Bromance' Relationship"

North Korean Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to benefit from their close relationship, but the British BBC has analyzed that it is not exactly a 'bromance.'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 12th (local time), the BBC reported, "The alliance between Chairman Kim and President Putin was formed in the geopolitical reality of 2023 with a common enemy, and it is inaccurate to define their relationship as a 'bromance'." Unlike former U.S. President Donald Trump, who declared he had fallen in love with Chairman Kim, the BBC explained that Kim and Putin do not publicly display flamboyant expressions of affection.

However, the two leaders share many commonalities and are expected to benefit from their close relationship, the BBC reported.

Russia is reportedly hoping that cooperation with North Korea will make them a supplier of military goods for the Ukraine war.

There is also analysis that military cooperation with North Korea could be another signal of President Putin's determination to reshape the international order to suit his preferences. Both Chairman Kim and President Putin rarely leave their countries, face strong international sanctions amid accusations of being 'rogue states,' and share opposition to U.S. hegemony.

The BBC explained that North Korea aims to alleviate its food shortages by receiving humanitarian aid from Russia.

However, there is speculation that North Korea also seeks advanced military technology, including satellites and nuclear submarines. The British Guardian analyzed, "The money North Korea receives from arms sales is more likely to be used for weapons development funding."

Some analysts argue that Russia’s attempt to establish cooperative relations with North Korea is evidence of Russia’s diminished status. Andrei Kozyrev, former Russian Foreign Minister during Boris Yeltsin’s presidency, said, "If Russia obtains weapons from North Korea, one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world, it would be humiliating for Russia," adding, "A great power would not turn to North Korea for allies or military supplies."

The British Guardian reported, "Russia seeking help from a country it once protected is a sign of Russia’s lowered status," and also suggested that "China’s unwillingness to sell weapons to Russia is implied."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.