Kim Jung Un returns to North Korea after troubling summit with ‘comrade’ Putin

North Korea said Tuesday that person Kim Jong Un has returned location from a travel to Russia wherever helium deepened “comradely fellowship and affable ties” with President Vladimir Putin.

During Kim’s six-day travel to Russia, his longest overseas question arsenic a leader, the 2 countries said they discussed boosting their defence ties but didn’t disclose immoderate circumstantial steps.

Foreign experts speculate the 2 countries, some locked successful confrontations with the West, were pushing to scope arms transportation deals successful usurpation of UN Security Council resolutions.

The authoritative Korean Central News Agency said Kim’s train crossed a borderline stream connected Monday morning, but didn’t accidental whether helium headed to the capital, Pyongyang, oregon elsewhere wrong the country.

Before traveling to Russia, Kim made respective visits to his munitions factories, triggering speculation that helium intended to cheque connected productions of arms to beryllium shipped to Russia.

While traveling done Russia’s acold eastbound region, Kim met Putin astatine Russia’s astir important space launch center before visiting subject sites to spot immoderate of Russia’s astir precocious weapons systems specified arsenic nuclear-capable bombers, combatant jets and hypersonic missiles.

North Korean person Kim Jong Un, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin speech astatine the Vostochny cosmodrome extracurricular the metropolis of Tsiolkovsky, astir 125 miles from the metropolis of Blagoveshchensk successful the acold eastbound Amur region, Russia, connected Sept. 13, 2023. KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Images

Kim Jong Un waves from his bid pursuing a reception hosted by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, successful Russia, connected Sept. 13, 2023.via REUTERS

In unrecorded comments during their gathering past Wednesday, Kim offered “full and unconditional support” to Putin.

KCNA aboriginal said Kim and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu besides met and discussed expanding “strategic and tactical coordination” betwixt the countries’ equipped forces.

Many extracurricular experts accidental Kim would proviso ammunition to refill Russia’s drained inventory successful the 2nd twelvemonth of the warfare successful Ukraine successful instrumentality for receiving Russian technologies to modernize his atomic weapons arsenals.

Kim Jong Un shaking hands with Russia’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu aft receiving a acquisition astatine their luncheon during a sojourn to the larboard successful Vladivostok, Primorsky portion connected Sept. 16, 2023.KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Images

Kim Jong Un visits an craft manufacturing works successful the metropolis of Komsomolsk-on-Amur successful the Khabarovsk region, Russia, connected Sept.15, 2023.via REUTERS

Kim Jong Un shares a infinitesimal with Governor of the Russian acold eastbound portion of Primorsky Krai Oleg Kozhemyako, right, during a banquet successful Vladivostok, Russian Far East Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023. AP

US and South Korean officials person warned that Russia and North Korea would look consequences if they spell up with specified weapons transfers deals successful usurpation of UN Security Council resolutions.

Other experts accidental Kim would extremity up getting nutrient and economical assistance due to the fact that Russia is reluctant to stock its sensitive, high-tech weapons technologies with different countries.

Kim has been pushing hard to bolster his atomic arsenal citing what helium called intensifying US subject threats.

Analysts accidental Kim would purpose to usage his enlarged arsenal to triumph greater concessions from the US portion boosting his subject credentials astatine location successful the look of economical hardships deepened implicit the COVID-19 pandemic.