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A dangerous trade between Kim and Putin

Published: 27 Jul. 2023, 20:16

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the armistice, China and Russia sent a large-scale delegation to Pyongyang for the first time since the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020. North Korea has been celebrating July 27 as the Day of Victory in the Great Fatherland Liberation War. It held a massive military parade showing off diverse weapons in the capital on Thursday.

China sent representatives of the Communist Party and government, led by Li Hongzhong, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, to the celebration. Earlier Tuesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un laid flowers on the grave of Mao Anying — Chairman Mao’s son who died from U.S. bombing — during his visit to the graveyard for the fallen Chinese soldiers. Kim’s move suggests his intention to highlight the blood alliance between North Korea and China.

Attracting particular attention is the movement of Russia. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Pyongyang for three days as head of the Russian delegation even amid the Ukraine war. In a meeting with North Korean Defense Minister Kang Sun-nam on Wednesday, Shoigu praised North Korea for being “an important partner to Russia.” In return, Kang expressed his “unreserved support for the Russian forces and people fighting against the tyranny of the imperialists.”

The remarkable development raises suspicion over an arms trading deal between North Korea and Russia. Because Russia is running short of troops and weapons as the war continues, it can receive conventional ammunition and drones from North Korea in return for providing sophisticated technology on weapons like miniaturization of nuclear warheads, atmospheric reentry and space launch vehicles.

In fact, Kim Jong-un visited an event for weapons together with Shoigu, who delivered Russian President Vladimir Putin’s letter to the North Korean leader. Kim showed the Russian defense minister various types of North Korean weapons mimicking U.S. drones like Global Hawk, an unmanned reconnaissance vehicle, and Reaper, an unmanned attack drone. Russia is reportedly running out of stock of unmanned drones.

But strangely, North Korea, China and Russia gathered in Pyongyang and championed justice and peace. The Korean War began with Stalin’s endorsement of Kim Il Sung’s surprise attack on the South and cost millions of lives after China’s intervention. Nevertheless, China calls it a war for justice while Russia still supports North Korea behind the curtain. They must realize that such behavior cannot earn sympathy from the international community.