Russian President Vladimir Putin visits North Korea for the first time in 24 years

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea provided a big boost to Kim Jong Un. This visit was regarded as a watershed moment, especially given the rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The visit was intended to strengthen the alliance between Russia and North Korea in the face of separate, escalating tensions with Washington.

During his visit, Putin was greeted with wild celebrations at a welcoming ceremony with Kim Jong Un at Kim Il Sung Square in the center of the North Korean city. The two leaders exchanged gifts, with Putin gifting Kim an Aurus automobile and a tea set. They also talked and stood together as the Russian national anthem played before leaving in an open-top vehicle.

The visit led to the signing of a mutual defense pact between Russia and North Korea, which has raised serious concerns in South Korea, Japan, and the United States. South Korea, in particular, condemned the treaty and summoned Russia’s ambassador, urging Moscow to halt military cooperation with Pyongyang and abide by UN Security Council resolutions.

The visit and the subsequent defense pact were perceived as significant developments, consolidating the Kim regime’s powerful link with a world power that wields a veto on the UN Security Council and establishing a defense pact between Russia and South Korea’s biggest enemy.

The relationship between Russia and North Korea has sparked concerns in Seoul and Washington, not only over North Korea’s arms transfer to Russia, but also the prospect of Moscow transferring its superior military technology to aid Pyongyang’s heavily sanctioned weapons program.