Sergei Shoigu Visits North Korea as Russian Security Council Secretary
Kim Jong Un Agrees to Send 6,000 Personnel to Russia, Including Engineers and Construction Troops
North Korea and Russia Discuss Deepening Cooperation Under Strategic Partnership Treaty
Plans to Honor North Korean Troops Deployed to Kursk Also Addressed
Kim Reaffirms Unconditional Support for Russia and Treaty Implementation
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has decided to send an additional 6,000 personnel, including engineers and construction troops, to Kursk, a region controlled by Russia. As North Korea and Russia have grown increasingly close following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, there are now predictions that significant mutual cooperation will take place as compensation in the future.
On June 18, the Rodong Sinmun reported that Kim met with Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of the Russian Security Council, who visited North Korea the previous day. During the meeting, the North Korean and Russian sides confirmed and accepted the details and plans for North Korea's cooperation within the scope of the treaty, and discussed in detail the necessary cooperation measures.
The specific details of the cooperation with Russia that Kim confirmed and accepted have not been made public. However, on the previous day, Russia’s Interfax news agency reported that Shoigu said, "Kim has decided to send 1,000 engineers for mine clearance operations and 5,000 military construction troops for the restoration of destroyed infrastructure to Russia." This suggests that the deployment of North Korean troops was also discussed.
The newspaper stated, "Kim warmly welcomed Secretary Shoigu, who visited Pyongyang on the meaningful occasion of the first anniversary of the signing of the treaty on the comprehensive strategic partnership between North Korea and Russia. Shoigu delivered a verbal message from Russian President Vladimir Putin." The report continued, "At the meeting, the significance of the treaty was once again evaluated, and urgent cooperation measures and future plans to implement key issues agreed upon by the leaders of both countries through recent exchanges of messages were discussed in depth."
In addition to the additional troop deployment, the meeting also addressed plans to commemorate the North Korean troops already deployed. The newspaper reported, "A series of ideas and plans to permanently honor the heroic achievements of North Korean troops in the battles of Kursk were discussed and agreed upon."
Furthermore, Kim and Shoigu exchanged views on the current international situation, including the recent Israel-Iran conflict. The newspaper stated, "During the talks, the leadership of both sides exchanged a wide range of views and opinions on complex international and regional situations and other issues of mutual interest, achieving complete consensus." The report added, "Kim reaffirmed North Korea's unwavering and unconditional support for Russia's policy to safeguard national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international justice, and once again firmly expressed North Korea's steadfast commitment to faithfully implementing the treaty in the future."
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