SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belosov arrived in North Korea on Friday to meet with North Korea’s military and political leaders as the two countries deepen cooperation over Russia’s war in Ukraine.
In announcing the visit, Russia’s Ministry of Defense did not say who Belousov would meet or the purpose of the meeting. North Korean state media did not immediately confirm the visit.
Belousov The former economist replaced Sergei Shoigu as defense minister in May after Russian President Vladimir Putin began his fifth term in power.
A photo released by the Defense Ministry shows Belosov walking alongside North Korean Defense Minister Noh Kwang-chul on a red carpet at Pyongyang airport. North Korean military officials were also seen applauding under a banner that read, “Full support and solidarity with the fighting Russian military and people.”
After his arrival, Belousov noted that military cooperation between the countries is expanding. He praised the strategic partnership agreement signed by President Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after their June meeting in Pyongyang, which he said maintains the region’s “balance of power” and reduces the risk of war. It said the aim was to ease tensions by reducing the number of incidents. Along with nuclear weapons.
Belousov said the June meeting demonstrated the “highest level of mutual trust” between the leaders and “also demonstrated the mutual desire of both countries to further expand mutually beneficial cooperation in a complex international environment.”
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North Korea’s Defense Minister also praised the growing cooperation between the two countries’ militaries and reiterated North Korea’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, calling it a “legitimate struggle to protect the country’s sovereignty and security interests.” He said that.
The visit will take place in a few days South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol meets with Ukrainian delegation Defense Minister Rustem Umerov took the lead in South Korea’s capital Seoul, calling on both countries to develop countermeasures in response to North Korea sending thousands of troops to Russia to help fight Ukraine. Ta.
In recent months, Kim has embraced the idea of a “new Cold War” and prioritized relations with Russia as he seeks to break away from isolation and strengthen his international standing.
The United States and its allies say North Korea has sent more than 10,000 soldiers to Russia in recent weeks, some of whom are participating in the fighting.
North Korea is also accused of supplying Russia with artillery systems, missiles and other military equipment that could help Putin further extend the nearly three-year war. There are also concerns in Seoul that North Korea could receive Russian technology transfers that could improve its nuclear weapons and missile programs in exchange for troops and weapons supplies.
Leif Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said, “The Russian defense minister is not visiting North Korea just to celebrate bilateral relations.” “This visit signals further expansion of military cooperation between President Putin and Kim in violation of international law.”
Shin Won-sik, Mr. Yoon’s national security adviser, said in a television interview last week that the South Korean government believes that: Russia provides air defense missile system to North Korea Instead of sending troops.
Shin said Russia also appears to be providing economic aid to North Korea, as well as providing various military technologies, including those needed for North Korea’s efforts to build a reliable space surveillance system. Kim emphasized that this is important to increase the threat of nuclear-capable missiles. Targeting South Korea. Shin did not say whether Russia had already transferred sensitive nuclear weapons and ballistic missile technology to North Korea.
Yun’s office did not say whether the two governments discussed South Korea’s possible arms supply to Ukraine during the meeting with Umerov.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, South Korea has joined U.S.-led sanctions against Moscow and provided humanitarian and financial support to Kiev. However, citing its long-standing policy of not providing lethal weapons to countries in active conflict, it has avoided directly providing weapons.
Yun said the government will take steps to respond in stages depending on the level of cooperation between Russia and North Korea.
It was not immediately clear whether Belousov would meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Last year, Kim hosted a Russian delegation led by the then defense minister. Shoigu He then personally guided North Korea through a weapons exhibition, which outside critics likened to a sales pitch.
The incident came weeks before Kim visited Russia for talks with President Vladimir Putin and accelerated military cooperation between the two countries. Mr. Kim and Mr. Putin signed the agreement at another meeting in Pyongyang in June this year. Agreement providing for mutual military assistance It was considered the largest defense pact for both countries since the end of the Cold War, should either country be attacked.
According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, Russian reports about Mr. Belausov’s visit stemmed from a battle in which the South Korean military fought to repel six Russian and five Chinese military planes that had temporarily entered the air defense identification zone around the East Sea and South Sea. The announcement was made while the plane was being scrambled. It said that Russian and Chinese aircraft did not violate South Korean airspace.
South Korea’s Ministry of Defense announced that it held a telephone conversation with Chinese and Russian defense attachés based in Seoul to protest the flight and urge each country to prevent a recurrence. ___ Associated Press writer Emma Burrows in London contributed to this report.
