List of All Articles with Tag 'east asia'

The US, South Korea, and Japan strongly condemned the supply of military equipment by North Korea to Russia and said these deliveries would significantly increase the human toll of Moscow’s war against Ukraine. The US and its Asian allies said in a joint statement they could now confirm that such weapons deliveries have taken place between the two countries which are isolated on the world stage. The condemnation came amid increasing speculation of an arms deal between Russia and North Korea following a number of high-profile visits between the diplomats and leaders of both the countries. “Such weapons deliveries, several of which we now confirm have been completed, will significantly increase the human toll of Russia’s war of aggression. “We will continue to work together with the international community to expose Russia’s attempts to acquire military equipment from (North Korea),” said the top diplomats of the three countries. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied the allegations that Russia was receiving munitions from North Korea, claiming instead that Washington has failed to prove the charge. Both countries have increasingly sought to rely on each other as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approached its second winter. Seoul, Washington, and Tokyo said they were closely monitoring any materials that Russia provides to North Korea in support of Kim Jong-un’s military objectives. “We are deeply concerned about the potential for any transfer of nuclear- or ballistic missile-related technology to (North Korea),” the statement said. The joint condemnation signed by South Korean foreign minister Park Jin, US secretary of state Antony Blinken, and Japanese foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa also underscored that arms transfers to and from North Korea would violate UN Security Council resolutions, which Russia, a permanent Security Council member, previously voted for. Earlier this year, the North Korean leader had visited Russia and met Mr Putin in the most prominent sign that the countries were looking to prop up their regimes by supporting each other by sharing military hardware and technology. The talks reportedly focused on an arms deal in exchange for technological support to Pyongyang’s fledgling space programme. Just last week, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov also visited Pyongyang and met the North Korean leader. Both leaders praised the ties between their countries that they said had increased to a “new level”. Mr Lavrov said in a reception speech that Moscow “deeply” valued Pyongyang’s “unwavering and principled support” for Russia in the war. The meeting was seen as groundwork for a potential second summit between Mr Kim and Mr Putin after the Kremlin leader accepted the invitation to travel to North Korea at “a convenient time”. Analysts have said the two countries have been forced to turn to each other as they have been isolated on the world stage. North Korea’s supply of its arsenal holds importance for Moscow as it has been going through artillery shells, missiles and other munitions for its Ukraine invasion. This comes as Moscow’s domestic production has struggled to keep up with biting Western sanctions as Ukraine has unleashed a months-long counteroffensive that has been rolling on since June. Earlier this month, the White House claimed North Korea delivered more than 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions to Russia. The White House released satellite images it said showed the containers were loaded onto a Russian-flagged ship before being moved via train to southwestern Russia. A US think-tank had last month shared satellite images showing continued activity around a North Korean port near Russia. It captured at least six trips by sea between North Korea’s port of Rajin and Russia’s Dunai port since late August. These shipments were possibly related to the transfer of North Korean munitions to Russia, the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies had said. Read More The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary 82-year-old man in South Korea chokes to death after eating ‘still wriggling’ octopus Suspected North Korean defectors found in small wooden boat near sea border Thousands of remote IT workers sent wages to North Korea, says FBI

Kim Jong-un wrote to Vladimir Putin promising to boost ties as North Korea and Russia marked the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations. The North Korean leader congratulated the Russian president on his victory over what he called “hegemony and pressure from imperialists”. He also wished his Russian ally luck in resisting pressure from their common nemesis West over Ukraine. "I hope that the Russian people, who have set out to build a strong nation, will always achieve only victory and glory in their struggle to protect the country’s sovereignty, dignity, security and peace by crushing the imperialists’ persistent hegemonic policy and anti-Russia scheme to isolate and stifle it," the North Korean leader said, as reported by Pyongyang’s state media KCNA. He added that he was extremely satisfied with their "candid, comprehensive" talks during recent visit to Russia’s far east last month. Mr Kim said he is pledging to further develop relations to a "new height". He expressed the “firm belief that the bilateral friendship and solidarity and cooperation, consolidated generation after generation and century after century, will steadily develop onto a new level in the future, too”. Mr Putin also sent a letter to Mr Kim and said their latest meeting was more evidence of developing ties. "I am convinced that to implement the agreements will contribute to further expanding the constructive bilateral cooperation for improving the well-being of the peoples of the two countries and ensuring security and stability in the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia as a whole," the Russian president said. The exchange of letters between the two allies comes nearly a month after Mr Kim made an elaborate six-day visit to Russia, breaking his self-imposed lockdown on foreign visits. Both leaders, united in their fight against the West, discussed military cooperation, a speculated weapons deal and North Korea’s satellite programme. Foreign officials suspected that the North Korean leader was seeking sophisticated Russian weapons technologies in return for the munitions to boost his nuclear programme as recent satellite photos showed a sharp increase in rail traffic along the North Korea-Russia border. A minimum of 73 rail cars with packages covered in tarpaulin left for Russia in the first week of October, sparking wide speculation that North Korea was now aiding Russia in military equipment. Officials in the US and South Korea warned that North Korea and Russia would face consequences if they went ahead with the reported weapons transfer deal in violation with UN Security Council resolutions that ban all weapons trade involving North Korea. Read More US aircraft carrier arrives in South Korea as North's leader Kim exchanges messages with Putin Satellite images show spike in border activity as North Korea ‘supplies weapons to Russia’ for Ukraine war A surge in rail traffic on North Korea-Russia border suggests arms supply to Russia, think tank says North Korea vows strong response to Pentagon report that calls it a 'persistent' threat North Korean leader urges greater nuclear weapons production in response to a 'new Cold War'

Russian president Vladimir Putin has agreed to travel to North Korea on the invitation of leader Kim Jong-un for more talks on their “far-reaching plan” for a deeper partnership, state media reported. Increasingly isolated from the rest of the world, the two leaders held a summit on Wednesday in Russia’s far east where they agreed to help prop up each other’s regime. Mr Putin offered to support North Korea’s UN-sanctioned satellite launch programme, while Mr Kim suggested Russia had Pyongyang’s full backing in its “sacred” invasion of neighbour Ukraine. Mr Kim is continuing his visit to Russia, where he is scheduled to tour various defence equipment manufacturing facilities and view a display of Russian warships. His trip will end with a stop at a marine biology facility – or so it was described by Mr Putin – in the eastern city of Vladivostok, before he returns with his armoured train to North Korea. No timeline for their next meeting has been set, with Mr Putin accepting the invititation to travel to North Korea at “a convenient time”, according to state media. The two leaders exchanged gifts at the beginning of their meeting on Wednesday, according to North Korea’s KCNA news agency, and the North Korean leader – said to be a car enthusiast – had a go in Mr Putin’s Russian-made limousine. "At the end of the reception, Kim Jong-un courteously invited Putin to visit the DPRK at a convenient time," KCNA said, referring to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, North Korea’s official name. "Putin accepted the invitation with pleasure and reaffirmed his will to invariably carry forward the history and tradition of the Russia-DPRK friendship," it said. Mr Kim said their bilateral ties have reached a new level with their meeting, and expressed his willingness to foster stable, future-oriented relations for the next 100 years. The two leaders, both facing crippling sanctions from the international community, met for talks running over four hours as Mr Putin is believed to be seeking a deal for weapons and munitions, an area where North Korea has excelled, to feed his war machine in Ukraine. The possibility of Russia’s arms deal with North Korea has sparked concerns, with the US State Department saying that they “will not hesitate” to impose additional sanctions on Moscow and Pyongyang. It was "troubling" that Russia is discussing cooperation with North Korea on programs that would violate UN Security Council sanctions, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said after the summit. During a dinner hosted by Mr Putin for his North Korean counterpart, the two leaders praised each other and celebrated the 75 years of diplomatic relations between their countries. Mr Putin reminded Mr Kim of the cooperation between Soviet and Korean soldiers during the Korean War. Mr Kim said that the two leaders have come to “a satisfactory consensus” for further strengthening their strategic and tactical cooperation in their battle to secure guarantees for a lasting peace in the region and the world, according to the Kremlin. “We are confident that the Russian army and people will inevitably attain victory in the sacred struggle to punish the evil crowd, which claims the right to hegemony based on the illusion of expansionism, a struggle to create the stability needed for development,” Mr Kim added. Neighbouring South Korea expressed deep concerns over North Korea’s military cooperation and possible arms transactions between Pyongyang and Moscow South Korea‘s unification minister, Kim Young-ho, said the two countries were apparently continuing to pursue “some kind of” a military deal. “We once again urge Russia and North Korea to halt illicit acts that cause their isolation and regression, and follow international rules including the Security Council resolutions,” the minister told reporters. Russia is preparing for a longer war in Ukraine and it is unable to meet the necessary industrial capacity, said James Nixey, director of the Russia and Eurasia program at Chatham House, a London-based think-tank. In return, Pyongyang is likely seeking to get food and missile technology from Moscow, “a relatively easy gift” for the Kremlin, Mr Nixey said. James O’Brien, head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination at the US State Department, said Russia was “scraping the bottom of the barrel looking for help because it’s having trouble sustaining its military”. A deal between the countries would violate existing sanctions, Mr O’Brien said, and would trigger the US to try to identify the individuals and the financial mechanisms used to “at least limit their ability to be effective”. Additional reporting by agencies Read More Isolated Putin and Kim posture over ‘sacred fight’ with West as they talk arms for Moscow’s war machine Weapons, spy satellites and nuclear ambitions: what we learned from Putin’s summit with Kim Jong-un in Russia Putin’s meeting with Kim is sign of Kremlin’s isolation, claims No 10 The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

With a lingering handshake and the type of bombastic language you would expect from two two men trying to ignore their isolation on the world stage Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un have met for talks to prop up each other’s regimes. The North Korean leader was the most vociferous in his remarks, offering the Russian presient his full support for Moscow’s "sacred fight" against “imperialism” – an obvious nod to the West and Putin’s invas. Kim added that North Korea's relations with Russia were "the first priority". Putin said in his opening remarks that he was “very glad” to see Kim. Both men need each other. For Putin, the aim will be a deal for weapons and munitions to feed his war machine in Ukraine. With a counteroffensive launched by Kyiv in June, Moscow will have been chewing through artillery shells, missiles and other munitions and domestic production is struggling to keep up as Western sanctions bite. When asked if he and Kim would talk about weapons supplies, Putin replied that the two leaders would discuss “all issues”. For Kim, his nation facing its own sanctions from the UN there will be a push for food and other aid. The location of the meeting – the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the remote region of Amur – is symbolic, with Pyongyang’s leader also after Russian technology to help its satellite and nuclear programmes. Kim’s country has tried – and failed – twice to launch a military spy satellite. When asked if Russia would help the North build satellites, Putin said: “That’s why we came here. The leader of [North Korea] shows great interest in rocket engineering, they are also trying to develop space.” According to Russian state news agency Tass, when asked about longstanding sanctions against North Korea, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "Russia maintains its position at the UN Security Council, but this cannot and will not hinder the further development of Russian-North Korean relations." Kim and Putin have ended their face-to-face meeting that lasted over two hours, Russian media reported. An official lunch – comprising of duck salad, crab dumplings, fish soup, sturgeon with mushrooms, and last of all, a berry dessert – followed. During the lunch Putin raised his glass and said: "A toast to the future strengthening of cooperation and friendship between our countries... For the well-being and prosperity of our nations, for the health of the chairman and all of those present." Kim responded in kind saying: "I propose a toast to Putin's health." Before the meeting with the two leaders, both nations fired off drones and missiles. For Russia it was part of its regular aerial assaults on Ukraine, with Kyiv’s air force saying it intercepted 32 of 44 Shahed-type drones launched over Ukraine overnight, with most of the aimed at the southern parts of the Odesa district. Pyongyang fired two ballistic missiles 10 minutes apart from the Sunan area of capital Pyongyang’s international airport towards the country’s eastern seas, South Korea’s joint chief of staff said. Both missiles fell outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Japan’s chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said. Japan’s Coast Guard said the missiles had already landed but still urged vessels to watch for falling objects. Meeting the North Korean dictator on Wednesday, Mr Putin declared his support for developing controversial reconnaissance satellites following Pyongyang’s multiple failed attempts to put its first military spy satellite into orbit. On Wednesday, Mr Putin received Mr Kim at Russia’s most modern space rocket launch site and said he was “very glad to see” him while Mr Kim thanked him for the invitation to visit him “despite being busy”, according to the Russian state media. An idication of how “busy” came with the news that one of the main Russian bases in the Black Sea been struck in a major attack involving 10 cruise missiles fired by Ukraine. Mr Kim stepped out of his limousine which was brought in his train from Pyongyang after his first stop at the Khasan, at Russia and North Korea’s border on early Tuesday. He walked the red carpet and received a welcome from the military honour guard and a brass band. It is not known how the North Korean leader commands and controls his country’s missile and nuclear forces while abroad. However, analysts have said recent drills have revealed a system for overseeing nuclear weapons similar to those used in the United States and Russia. Mr Putin showed his North Korean guests around Russia’s most modern space launch facility in Vostochny Cosmodrome and hailed their 75 years of diplomatic relations. “We, of course, need to talk about questions of economic cooperation and questions of a humanitarian nature. We have a lot of questions. I want to say that I am very glad to see you. Thank you for accepting the invitation and coming to Russia,” the Russian leader said. Mr Kim said that their meeting “will be the next step to take relations to a new level” and said he supports “all” of Putin’s decisions. “Russia has risen to a sacred fight to protect its sovereignty and security... against the hegemonic forces,” Mr Kim told Putin via a translator. “We will always support the decisions of president Putin and the Russian leadership... and we will be together in the fight against imperialism.” Mr Kim’s delegation is said to include his foreign minister, his top two military officials, and a number of people with connections to the country’s weapons industry, as well as representatives of the country’s space and technology sectors. Read More Ukraine-Russia war – live: Putin and Kim Jong-un begin weapons talks in Vladivostok North Korea’s Kim Jong-un arrives in Russia ahead of arms deal meeting with Putin Whether Russia or the Soviet Union, a timeline of Moscow’s relations with North Korea The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has left Pyongyang on a special train most likely bound for talks with Vladimir Putin in Russia, according to South Korean media. The North Korean leader appears to be headed to his country’s northeastern border with Russia, a government source told South Korean broadcaster YTN, amid speculation that the summit will be held as early as Tuesday Russian news agency Interfax reported Mr Kim was likely to visit Russia’s Far East “in the coming days” but did not specify when he will meet Mr Putin. Officials in Moscow and Pyongyang have not confirmed the North Korean leader’s meeting in Russia. But Western intelligence agencies expect the two to hold weapon talks at a time when Moscow is looking to expand its acquisitions of military equipment to use in its war against Ukraine. This would be the first foreign visit by Mr Kim in more than four years since before the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw the borders of the hermit kingdom sealed. Earlier reports had suggested Mr Kim would leave Pyongyang in the armoured train he has previously used to attend talks with other world leaders, and that he would meet Mr Putin in Vladivostok – which is just 80 miles from the Russia-North Korea border. Read More The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

Kim Jong-un may be going to Russia this month to meet Vladimir Putin as Moscow tries to negotiate the possibility of receiving military equipment from North Korea for its Ukraine invasion. North Korea’s leader would travel from Pyongyang, probably by armoured train, to Vladivostok on the Pacific Coast of Russia, where he would meet Mr Putin, reported The New York Times. Both heads of state could be on the campus of Vladivostok’s Far Eastern Federal University to attend the Eastern Economic Forum, scheduled to take place from 10-13 September, according to the outlet. The date of travel or exact place of meeting, however, is not yet clear. Pyongyang is expected to ask Moscow to share their advanced technology for satellites and nuclear-powered submarines in exchange for weapons, reported NYT, citing officials on the condition of anonymity. The US has previously warned North Korea could supply more weapons to Russia, with US National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson noting earlier on Monday that Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu travelled to Pyongyang recently in a bid to persuade North Korea to sell artillery ammunition. “We have information that Kim Jong Un expects these discussions to continue, to include leader-level diplomatic engagement in Russia,” she said. She said the US is urging North Korea “to cease its arms negotiations with Russia and abide by the public commitments that Pyongyang has made to not provide or sell arms to Russia”. The White House said last week that it had intelligence indicating Mr Putin and Mr Kim swapped letters following Mr Shoigu’s visit. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the letters were “more at the surface level”, but that Russian and North Korean talks on a weapons sale were advancing. He also warned of sanctions against Pyongyang if it goes ahead with the weapons supply. Additional reporting by agencies Read More Ukraine-Russia war – live: Putin’s forces pushed back in the south as Moscow launches kamikaze drone attack Ukraine will need to be cunning – and patient – in its push to break through Russia’s defensive lines Pope insists Vatican-China relations are on track but says more work is needed