Ahead of his summit with North Korea's Kim, Putin promised they would defeat sanctions together

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Russia's president Vladimir Putin thanked North Korea to support His activities in Ukraine And said their countries will cooperate closely to overcome US-led sanctions when he heads to Pyongyang on Tuesday for a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Putin's comments appeared in an op-ed piece North Korea State media separated hours before his expected arrival for a two-day visit, with the countries deepening their alignment in the face of a sharp standoff with Washington.

Streets in North Korea's capital, Pyongyang, are decorated with portraits of Putin and Russian flags. A banner hangs on one building: “We warmly welcome the President of the Russian Federation.”

Putin, who will make his first visit to North Korea in 24 years, said he appreciated the strong support for his military action in Ukraine. He said countries would continue to “strongly oppose” what he described as Western ambitions to obstruct the establishment of a multilateral world order based on justice, mutual respect for sovereignty, taking into account each other's interests. Putin also said that Russia and North Korea are “not controlled by the West” and will jointly develop trade and payment systems in opposition to sanctions against the countries, which he described as “illegal, unilateral restrictions”.

North Korea is under UN Security Council economic sanctions over its nuclear weapons and missile programs, while Russia is also fighting sanctions from the United States and its Western partners over its aggression in Ukraine.

Putin said the countries will also increase cooperation in the fields of tourism, culture and education.

Before heading to North Korea, Putin visited the eastern Russian city of Yakutsk, where he planned to meet with regional governor Aisen Nikolayev and receive a briefing on technology and defense-related projects in the area.

Meanwhile, Putin's visit growing concern About an arms system where Pyongyang supplies Moscow with badly needed weapons to fuel Russia The war in Ukraine In exchange for economic aid and technology transfers that would increase the threat of Kim's nuclear weapons and missile programs.

US and South Korean officials say military, economic and other exchanges between North Korea and Russia have increased sharply since then. Kim met Putin in September In the Russian Far East, their first since 2019.

US and South Korean officials have accused the North of supplying Russia with artillery, missiles and other military equipment for use in Ukraine, possibly in exchange for key military technology and assistance. Both Pyongyang and Moscow deny allegations of North Korean arms transfers, which would violate multiple UN Security Council sanctions previously approved by Russia.

Along with China, Russia has provided political cover for Kim's continued efforts to advance his nuclear arsenal, repeatedly blocking US-led efforts to impose new UN sanctions on the North for its weapons tests.

In March, a Russia's veto at the United Nations UN sanctions ended monitoring North Korea over its nuclear program, prompting Western accusations that Moscow is seeking to avoid scrutiny over its purchase of weapons from Pyongyang for use in Ukraine. US and South Korean officials have said they are discussing options for a new system to monitor the North.

Earlier this year, Putin sent Kim a luxury Auras Senate limousine, which he showed the North Korean leader when they met in September. Observers said the shipment violated a United Nations resolution banning the supply of luxury goods to North Korea.

U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the deepening ties between Moscow and Pyongyang are worrisome, “not just because of its impact on the people of Ukraine, but because we know North Korea's ballistic missiles are still being used.” Hitting Ukrainian targets, but because there may be some correlations that could affect the security of the Korean Peninsula.”

“We haven't seen all the parameters of those yet, certainly haven't seen it come to fruition But we will certainly monitor it very, very closely,” he said.

South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Lim Soosuk said Seoul has been stressing to Moscow that any cooperation between Russia and North Korea must “not proceed in a direction that violates UN Security Council resolutions or undermines peace and stability in the region.”

Tensions on the Korean peninsula are at their highest level in years, both at Kim's pace Weapons tests and joint military exercises A tit-for-tat cycle involving the US, South Korea and Japan is intensifying. The Koreans have also engaged in Cold War-style psychological warfare in which North Korea drops tons of trash on the South via balloon and the South broadcasts anti-North Korean propaganda through its loudspeakers.

South Korea's military said soldiers fired warning shots to chase away North Korean troops Those who have temporarily crossed over Land border on Tuesday for the second time this month. The South's military said North Korea had stepped up construction activities in front-line border areas, such as installing suspected anti-tank barriers, strengthening roads and planting land mines.

Putin has continually sought to rebuild relations with Pyongyang as part of his country's efforts to restore influence and its Soviet-era alliance. Moscow's relations with North Korea weakened after the Soviet collapse in 1991. Kim Jong Un first met Putin in 2019 in the eastern Russian port of Vladivostok.

After North Korea, the Kremlin said Putin is also expected to visit Vietnam on Wednesday and Thursday with talks focusing on trade. The United States, which has spent years strengthening ties and boosting trade with Vietnam, criticized Putin's planned visit.

A spokesperson for the US Embassy in Vietnam said, “As Russia continues to seek international support to sustain its illegal and brutal war against Ukraine, we reiterate that no country will give Putin a platform to promote his war of aggression and otherwise allow him to normalize his atrocities.” will give.” said in a statement.