What to make of reports that Kim Jong Un will visit Russia for summit with Putin

Analysis

What to make of reports that Kim Jong Un will visit Russia for summit with Putin

Experts disagree on if Russia needs North Korean arms but say both sides seek to counter US-ROK military cooperation

Arius Derr | Chad O'Carroll | Joe Smith September 5, 2023

What to make of reports that Kim Jong Un will visit Russia for summit with Putin

Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un in Vladivostok in 2019 | Image: Kremlin

In the coming days, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un could take his biggest diplomatic step since the outbreak of COVID-19 and travel to Russia to meet Vladimir Putin for discussions on arms sales and military cooperation, according to news reports.

About the Authors

Arius Derr

Arius Derr is Editor at NK News and NK Pro, based in Canberra. He was also Managing Editor from 2021 to 2022 and Deputy Managing Editor from 2022 to 2023. Prior to that he was an editor at East Asia Forum and KBS, South Korea’s public broadcaster. His graduate research focuses on U.S. nuclear policy and U.S.-DPRK relations. Follow him on Twitter @AriusDerr.

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Chad O'Carroll

Chad O'Carroll is the founder of NK News/NK Pro and related holding company Korea Risk Group. In addition to being the group's CEO, O'Carroll is a frequent writer and commentator about the Koreas, having written about the two nations since 2010. He has visited the DPRK multiple times, worked and lived in Washington, D.C. with a focus on peninsula issues, and lived in the ROK since 2016.

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Joe Smith

Joe Smith is a News Trainee at NK News.

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