Putin, Kim sign strategic partnership as North backs Russia's war in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Pyongyang in the early hours of Wednesday to begin his state visit, according to the Kremlin.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands after a welcoming ceremony at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Wednesday. [AFP/YONHAP]

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement during their summit in Pyongyang on Wednesday, according to Russian media.

The agreement came about two hours after the two leaders began their talks at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, in the heart of the North Korean capital, around noon the same day, according to Sputnik news agency.

While the full details of the agreement have yet to be announced as of press time, Kim expressed "full support" for Russia in its war on Ukraine and promised to strengthen strategic cooperation with Moscow during the summit, according to Russian media outlets. Kim said North Korea-Russia relations are "entering a new period of prosperity," according to Russian media TASS.

Following the summit, Putin also said that Russia is not ruling out military-technical cooperation with North Korea. He also said the Russia-North Korea agreement implied mutual assistance in case of aggression against either side, according to Sputnik news agency.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, second right, attend talks in Pyongyang on Wednesday. [AP/YONHAP]

"The government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea expresses its full support and solidarity with the Russian government, Army and people in conducting the special military operation in Ukraine with a view to protecting sovereignty, security interests and territorial integrity," Kim was quoted as saying.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is North Korea's official name.

Putin, in turn, expressed gratitude for North Korea's support and said that a new "fundamental document" has been prepared to serve as a foundation for strengthened ties between Pyongyang and Moscow. "Russia has been fighting against the hegemonic and imperialist policies of the United States and its allies for decades," Putin is quoted as saying in the opening remarks of the summit. "Communication between North Korea and Russia is based on equality and respect for mutual interests." Putin arrived in North Korea at 2:46 a.m. that day, according to the Kremlin's Telegram channel. Russian media outlets reported that Putin’s private plane landed at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport in the North Korean capital at 2:22 a.m., citing flight tracking sites.

Kim personally welcomed Putin at the airport, according to Sputnik News Agency. Putin had arrived in Pyongyang after completing a visit to Yakutsk, a city in the Russian Far East.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un smile during their meeting at the Sunan Airport outside Pyongyang on Wednesday. [AP/YONHAP]

The Russian president had been scheduled to make a state visit to North Korea for two days starting on Tuesday at the invitation of Kim. However, as he arrived in Pyongyang later than expected, Putin’s visit is most likely to be cut short to a day. He is scheduled to travel to Vietnam after his trip to North Korea.

This is the first time Putin has visited North Korea in 24 years, since July 2000. At that time, Putin was the first Russian leader to visit the country and met with Kim’s late father, Kim Jong-il.

This also marks the third time that Kim Jong-un and Putin have met in person, following the North Korea-Russia summit in Vladivostok in April 2019 and another summit at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in September last year.

Putin was accompanied on his trip by Defense Minister Andrei Beluosov, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko and others.

The North Korean party included Premier Kim Tok-hun, Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea Pak Jong-hun and Secretary of the Central Committee of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party Jo Yong-won.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin at Sunan Airport in Pyongyang in the early hours of Wednesday. [TASS/YONHAP]

The international security situation, economy, energy, transportation and agricultural cooperation were expected to top the agenda list for the summit talks.

The official summit was set to be followed by a long conversation between the Russian president and the North Korean leader, after which a statement will be released to the media.

After the statement, the two leaders attended a tea party and visited Soviet Army memorials. Putin and Kim then attended a gala concert reception at a sports stadium.

North Korean citizens gathered in the streets of Pyongyang to greet Putin, enduring scorching summer heat that peaked at 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 Fahrenheit), according to TASS.

Earlier, Kremlin press secretary Yuri Ushakov said that Putin is likely to sign "important" documents with Kim on Wednesday.

Putin also said in an interview Tuesday that Pyongyang and Moscow will "develop an alternative settlement system that is not controlled by the West” and jointly oppose “illegitimate” restrictive measures.

Of particular concern before the summit was that Putin's visit to the North could lead to extraordinary levels of military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow, a fear that appears to have become a reality with the mutual defense clause mentioned by Putin. Attention was especially focused on whether the new comprehensive strategic partnership had revived the automatic military intervention clause that was included in a 1961 treaty between North Korea and the former Soviet Union.

The treaty — and the military intervention clause — was scrapped in 1996.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]