Russian intelligence chief discusses security cooperation in Pyongyang

Pyongyang announced on Thursday that the Russian intelligence chief discussed bilateral security cooperation during a visit to North Korea this week, in a move that comes after weeks of accusations by South Korea against its northern neighbor of providing Moscow with large quantities of weapons to support the Kremlin in its war against Ukraine.

The North Korean state news agency reported that the head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergey Naryshkin, made a visit to Pyongyang that lasted from Monday to Wednesday and held two meetings with North Koreaan Minister of State Security Ri Chang Dae.

The agency explained that the officials discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries "to confront increasing espionage activities and conspiracies plotted by hostile forces."

It added that "the parties reached complete agreement on pending issues during the two meetings held in an atmosphere of friendliness and friendship."

Both Russia and North Korea are subject to international sanctions: Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine, and Pyongyang for its military nuclear tests.

In September, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a summit in Russia's Far East, during which Kim stated that relations with Moscow are his "top priority."

Following this summit, the United States claimed that Pyongyang had begun supplying Moscow with weapons.

In early March of this year, South Korea stated that its northern neighbor had shipped around 7,000 containers of weapons to Russia for use by the Russian army in its war against Ukraine.

According to Washington, Pyongyang seeks, in exchange for these shipments of weapons, to obtain military assistance from Moscow in specific areas, including satellite technology and the modernization of its military equipment dating back to the Soviet era.

AFP