No Details of the Talks Disclosed
"Kim Jong-un Asked Questions with the Enthusiasm of a Student"
As the summit between North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded, the Russian government stated that issues such as the deployment of North Korean troops were not discussed during the meeting, drawing attention to the background. Apart from approximately nine minutes of opening remarks before the summit, neither the actual content of the talks nor the remarks made during the dinner were disclosed, increasing suspicions about arms and troop transactions.
The Russian side drew a line under various suspicions, emphasizing that discussions mainly focused on North Korea's satellite technology and space development cooperation. During the summit, there was talk about training North Korean astronauts, and before the meeting, while touring the Vostochny Cosmodrome, Chairman Kim reportedly showed enthusiasm by frequently asking questions and taking notes in a notebook, according to Russian sources.
The Kremlin: "No Discussion on North Korean Troop Deployment to Ukraine"... Conflicting Responses on Putin's Visit to North Korea
On the 13th (local time), according to TASS news agency, Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, appeared on the state-run Rossiya 1 broadcast and emphasized, "The issue of deploying North Korean troops to the Ukrainian border was not discussed at this summit," adding, "There was a dialogue on the development of bilateral relations with ministers from both countries present."
He continued, "If North Korea wishes, the possibility of training North Korean astronauts and sending them into space was discussed," and "Chairman Kim showed interest in all areas where cooperation with Russia is possible, including health, education, and humanitarian fields, while President Putin explained Russia's transportation systems such as airports and ports."
Earlier, Western countries including the United States expressed concerns about the possibility of arms deals between North Korea and Russia related to the summit, and some even raised the possibility of a contract to deploy North Korean troops to the Ukrainian front, which was directly refuted.
However, apart from the approximately nine-minute opening remarks at the summit, neither the conversations between the two leaders during the actual meeting nor the discussions at the subsequent dinner were disclosed, and there was no joint declaration or agreement between the two leaders, further fueling suspicions.
Regarding President Putin's visit to North Korea, the two sides gave conflicting answers. Spokesperson Peskov stated, "There are no plans for a visit to North Korea," but on the 14th, North Korea emphasized through the Korean Central News Agency that "President Putin gladly accepted the invitation," indicating that the visit will take place.
Kim Jong-un: "What is the thrust of the largest rocket?"... Questions Like a Student
Chairman Kim, who toured the space base before the summit, also attracted attention for showing strong enthusiasm like a student. Foreign media reported that Kim asked many questions directly and took notes in a notebook when necessary.
According to CNN, during the tour of the space base, Kim asked Russian officials detailed questions about rockets. He inquired, "What is the thrust of the largest rocket that can be launched from this base?" and "Including the components, is it 8 meters in diameter?" among other technical specifics. CNN described Kim as appearing like a curious student.
The reason Kim asked many questions is interpreted as evidence of his strong interest in securing technology, especially since North Korea has experienced repeated failures in satellite launches. Previously, North Korea aimed to launch reconnaissance satellites as one of its five core national defense tasks, but after two failed satellite launches this year, securing technology has become the top priority.
Meanwhile, the Vostochny Cosmodrome, where the meeting between Chairman Kim and President Putin took place, was newly established by Russia in 2012. Covering an area of over 550 square kilometers, it is a massive space base comparable in size to Seoul. It is more than 110 times larger than the approximately 5 square kilometer Naro Space Center. Since 2016, most of Russia's space launch vehicles have been launched from here.
Located deep inland in the Amur region of Russia's Primorsky Krai, near the town of Tsiolkovsky, the area once housed a nuclear missile base in the nearby town of Svobodny. Along with the large space base, a residential district capable of housing about 25,000 residents has been established, and in August, Russia's lunar probe Luna-25 was launched from here.
During the Soviet era, the largest Russian space base was the Baikonur Cosmodrome, but after the Soviet Union's collapse, it became part of Kazakhstan's territory, and Russia leased the facility. This situation necessitated the construction of a separate space base, leading to the establishment of the Vostochny Cosmodrome. In the future, various new rocket developments and satellite and rocket launches for building a manned lunar base are expected to be primarily conducted here.
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