Pyongyang: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un conducted strategic talks with Russia's Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu in Pyongyang on Tuesday. The meeting comes as the two nations prepare to commemorate the first anniversary of their mutual defense treaty.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Russian news agency Tass reported the commencement of talks in the North Korean capital, citing information from the Russian Security Council's press service. This development follows closely on the heels of Shoigu's arrival in Pyongyang. Shoigu is on a special mission from Russian President Vladimir Putin, highlighting the significance of the meeting.
This visit marks Shoigu's second trip to North Korea within the month, his first being in early June. During that visit, he also met with Kim Jong-un to address security concerns related to the Korean Peninsula. The Russian Security Council, as quoted by Tass, stated that Shoigu's recent meeting with Kim is a continuation of agreements reached during his initial visit on June 4. It serves as a follow-up to the mutual defense agreement signed last year between the two countries.
The timing of Shoigu's consecutive visits coincides with the approaching first anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership treaty signed in June last year by Kim and Putin in Pyongyang. This agreement led to North Korea deploying troops to support Russia in the ongoing war against Ukraine.
The impending anniversary on June 19 has sparked speculation that Kim Jong-un might visit Russia for a summit with President Putin. However, there have been no indications of an imminent trip. Russia's annual Eastern Economic Forum, scheduled for September in Vladivostok near the North Korean border, has been suggested as a potential occasion for a meeting between Kim and Putin.