Kim returns to North Korea after trip to Russia

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has returned to his country after completing an official visit to Russia, which, according to the North Korean state news agency, opened a "new chapter" in relations between Pyongyang and Moscow.

The agency reported that Kim "concluded his official visit to the Russian Federation and crossed the Tumangan Railway Station, the border station, in the early hours of Monday."

During this six-day visit, the report stated, Kim "deepened the bonds of friendship with Russian President Putin (…) and opened a new chapter in the development of relations between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Russia."

Kim's trip to the Russian Far East focused on defense matters and revealed potential military ties between the two countries, as Kim showcased various equipment, including space rockets and submarines.

Kim's visit to Russia heightened Western concerns that Pyongyang might receive necessary weaponry for its conflict in Ukraine from Moscow.

On Monday, the North Korean news agency stated that at the end of the visit, Kim expressed his "sincere gratitude to President Putin and the Russian leaders" for their "special attention and generous hospitality."



AFP