North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited an aircraft plant in the eastern city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur during his trip to Russia, according to Russian state media. The facility, named the Yuri Gagarin Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant (KnAAZ), is the country’s largest aviation manufacturing plant and builds warplanes for the Ministry of Defense. During the visit, Kim and his delegation were shown the inside of a fighter jet. The North Korean leader is also expected to visit the port city of Vladivostok to view the military capabilities of Russia’s Pacific Fleet.
This visit comes after a summit between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin, where the two leaders discussed military cooperation. The summit signaled closer relations between the two countries, both of which face international isolation – Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and North Korea for its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile program. Following the summit, Putin accepted Kim’s invitation to visit North Korea, and the Russian Foreign Minister will also visit the country in October.
Efforts to showcase the closer relationship were evident during the summit, with Putin presenting Kim with a space suit glove and a domestically manufactured carbine, while Kim offered Putin a carbine crafted by North Korean artisans. The two leaders also expressed their commitment to further developing ties between their countries.
However, concerns have been raised regarding potential military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. US officials warned of a potential arms deal between the two countries, where Pyongyang would provide weapons for Moscow to use in its Ukraine war in exchange for sanctioned ballistic missile technology. The national security advisers of the United States, South Korea, and Japan have issued a joint warning regarding potential violations of international sanctions by North Korea and Russia, particularly relating to arms trade and military cooperation.
Despite these concerns, Kim’s visit to Russia signals a willingness on both sides to strengthen their ties and explore potential areas of cooperation. It remains to be seen how this will impact the geopolitical dynamics in the region and the international community’s response to a potential closer alliance between Russia and North Korea.