Kremlin: Russia Developing Ties With North Korea in All Areas, Including ‘Sensitive’ Ones
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that his country is developing its relations with North Korea in all areas, including “sensitive” ones.
North Korea’s foreign minister lauded comradely ties with Russia on Tuesday and then held rare talks in the Kremlin with President Vladimir Putin, who has been invited by Kim Jong Un to visit Pyongyang.
Asked about the talks in Moscow, Peskov said the situation on the Korean peninsula was discussed, but that the main focus was on developing bilateral relations.
“The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is our very important partner, and we are focused on the further development of our relations in all areas, including in sensitive areas,” Peskov told reporters.
Putin has deepened ties with North Korea since sending troops into Ukraine in 2022, and the United States and its allies have condemned what they say have been significant North Korean missile deliveries to Russia.
Both Russia and North Korea have repeatedly dismissed the criticism. Moscow says it will develop ties with whatever countries it wants and that its cooperation with Pyongyang does not contravene international agreements.
In mid-September, Putin and Kim met at a summit at the space center located in Russia’s far-eastern Amur region where they inspected the facilities and held talks on how Russia could help North Korea build satellites, as well as a possible arms deal.
At the time, the United States claimed its intelligence sources confirmed that Russia and North Korea were “actively advancing” in the weapons deal.
North Korea has been under harsh sanctions by the U.S. and the United Nations Security Council for years over its defensive nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The sanctions have, however, failed to halt the country’s nuclear program.
Pyongyang also says its missile drills are a “just countermeasure” against the joint U.S.-South Korea war games.
Russia has gone out of its way to publicize the renaissance of its relationship, including military ties, with North Korea, which was formed in 1948 with the backing of the then-Soviet Union.