November 21, 2024, 07:19

North Korea and Russia signed a new agreement aimed at strengthening economic cooperation following high-level talks in Pyongyang this week, according to North Korean state media.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) announced the agreement, which was signed on Wednesday between top trade officials from the two countries and a Russian delegation led by Alexandr Kozlov, Russia’s minister of natural resources and ecology.

However, the report does not provide further details on the details of the deal.

Russian news agency Tass earlier reported that officials agreed to increase the number of charter flights between the two countries to promote tourism during a previous round of talks.

Kozlov, who arrived in Pyongyang on Sunday, met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and the country’s top economic official, Prime Minister Kim Tok Hun, before leaving on Wednesday, KCNA reported.

During his visit, Russian President Vladimir Putin gifted the Pyongyang Central Zoo with more than 70 animals, including lions, bears and various species of birds, according to Tass.

The gesture is seen as another indicator of strengthening ties between the two nations.

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In recent months, Mr Kim has prioritized strengthening ties with Moscow, aiming to break international isolation and strengthen his position.

He has openly supported Mr. Putin’s war in Ukraine while portraying North Korea as part of a united front against the United States.

Despite this, Mr Kim has not publicly acknowledged reports that his country is providing military equipment and personnel to Russia to aid its campaign in Ukraine.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) briefed lawmakers behind closed doors on Wednesday, revealing that around 11,000 North Korean troops had been transferred to Russia’s Kursk region in late October.

The soldiers, who had undergone training in northeastern Russia, would have been integrated into Russia’s maritime and airborne forces, with some already deployed to the front line, according to lawmaker Lee Seong Kweun, who was present at the meeting.

U.S., South Korean and Ukrainian officials have also said North Korea supplies Russia with artillery, missiles and other military equipment.

Analysts estimate that North Korea could earn between $320 million (£252 million) and $1.3 billion (£1.027 billion) a year from Russia for sending troops , based on payments Russia made to foreign mercenaries.

However, Lim Soo-ho, a South Korean analyst at a think tank run by the NEI, noted that this figure may be lower than what North Korea earns from illicit coal exports or the sale military equipment to Russia.

Mr Lim suggested that North Korea’s motivation for sending troops is likely not financial but strategic, with the aim of acquiring advanced Russian technology to promote its nuclear weapons and missile programs.

This is a major concern for South Korea, he added.

The growing partnership underscores North Korea’s efforts to gain leverage in the face of international sanctions and Russia’s reliance on unconventional allies as it continues its campaign in Ukraine.

The alliance has sparked concern among Western countries and South Korea, given the potential for escalating regional and global security risks.