Russian President Vladimir Putin met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un today, Wednesday, at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Amur region. The two leaders exchanged brief pleasantries, with Kim thanking Putin for the invitation despite his busy schedule. Kim Jong Un noted that "Russia is waging a sacred war against the West and that the two countries will fight imperialism together." He stated, "Russia has risen to a sacred fight to protect its sovereignty and security against dominating forces," affirming that "we will always support President Putin's decisions and the Russian leadership."
For his part, President Putin mentioned that the meeting occurs during a time when North Korea is celebrating significant national holidays, saying, "I am very happy to see you, especially at a time of commemorating events such as the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the 70th anniversary of victory in the Great Liberation War, and the 75th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between our countries."
After a reception ceremony at the main entrance of the rocket assembly and testing building at the Vostochny Cosmodrome, Kim, accompanied by Putin, toured the assembly hall of the Angara space rocket, and Putin also took his guest to view the Soyuz launch pad at the cosmodrome. Following the tour, discussions between the leaders of Russia and North Korea began in the Soyuz-2 Rocket Complex, attended by delegations from both countries.
Just before this, while waiting for the North Korean leader's arrival, Putin spoke to reporters and revealed some of the agenda for their meeting. In response to a question about whether Russia would assist North Korea in building satellites, Putin said, "That is the reason we came to the Vostochny Cosmodrome." He noted that "the leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea shows great interest in rocket technology and they are trying to develop space." Regarding whether military-technical cooperation will be discussed during his talks with Kim, he remarked, "We will discuss all issues without rush. There is plenty of time."
The Russian news agency reported today that the talks between President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have concluded, adding that Kim has left the country.
