Seoul: A top Russian security official met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang on Friday and thanked him for the country’s support of Moscow’s war efforts in Ukraine, according to Russian state media.
The meeting came after South Korea’s spy agency said in late February that North Korea appeared to have sent additional troops to Russia after soldiers fighting in the Russian-Ukraine war suffered heavy casualties.
Russia’s state-run news agency Tass reported that Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s Security Council secretary, during a meeting with Kim, expressed gratitude for North Korea’s “solidarity with Russia’s position on all critical geopolitical issues, particularly on the Ukrainian issue.’”
Tass said Shoigu also conveyed a message from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who extended his greetings and vowed to give “utmost attention” to implementing agreements reached in their recent summits.
Interfax, another Russian news agency, quoted Shoigu as saying that various issues were discussed with Kim, including Russia’s war in Ukraine, Moscow’s dialogues with the Trump administration and the security situation on the Korean Peninsula.
Shoigu’s visit comes after Ukraine and Russia agreed in principle Wednesday to a limited ceasefire after President Donald Trump spoke with the countries’ leaders, though it remained to be seen when it might take effect and what possible targets would be off-limits to attack.
North Korea’s state news agency, KCNA, earlier confirmed the arrival of a Russian delegation led by Shoigu but didn’t provide details on the purpose of their visit.
North Korea has been supplying a vast amount of conventional weapons to Russia, and last fall it sent about 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia as well, according to US, South Korean and Ukraine intelligence officials.
In its February 27 statement, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service said it was trying to determine exactly how many more troops North Korea has deployed to Russia. South Korean media put the number of newly deployed North Korean soldiers at about 1,000 to 3,000. North Korea is likely increasing support for Russia in exchange for benefits. Kim oversaw missile tests after US-South Korea drills, while Shoigu’s visit may relate to Kim’s possible
Moscow trip.