Landed in North Korea on Friday for discussions with political and military authorities in the country as the two nations strengthen their alliance over Russia’s conflict in Ukraine.
Russia’s Defense Ministry did not specify who Belousov will meet or the goal of the discussions when it announced the visit. The visit was not immediately confirmed by North Korean state media.
Let’s dig into the Past
In May, Russian President Vladimir Putin began his fifth term in office, and Belousov, a professional economist, took over as defense minister from Sergei Shoigu. Belousov walked the red carpet with North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang Chol at an airport in Pyongyang, according to photos made public by the Defense Ministry.
Under a banner that read, “Complete support and solidarity with the fighting Russian army and people,” North Korean military officers were observed applauding.
Following his arrival, Belousov stated that the nations’ military cooperation is growing. After their June meeting in Pyongyang, Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a strategic cooperation agreement, which he praised.
He said the pact aims to lessen tensions by preserving the “balance of power” in the region and lowering the possibility of war, especially with nuclear weapons.
According to Belousov, the June encounter showed the leaders’ “highest level of mutual trust” as well as “our countries’ mutual desire to further expand mutually beneficial cooperation in a complex international environment.”
In an attempt to overcome his isolation and improve his standing internationally, Kim has made relations with Russia a top priority in recent months, adopting the notion of a “new Cold War.”
According to the United States and its allies, North Korea has dispatched over 10,000 personnel to Russia in recent weeks, some of whom were fighting.
Additionally, North Korea has been charged with providing Russia with artillery systems, missiles, and other military hardware that might enable Putin to prolong the conflict, which has lasted for nearly three years.
Seoul is also worried that North Korea would obtain technical transfers from Russia that could advance its nuclear weapons and missile programs in return for its soldiers and munitions supplies.
According to Shin, Russia also seems to have provided North Korea with military technology and financial support, including those required for the North’s endeavors to establish a dependable space-based surveillance system, which Kim has emphasized is essential for boosting the threat of nuclear-capable missiles directed at South Korea.
Shin did not specify whether Russia had already given North Korea ballistic missile and sensitive nuclear weapons technology. Yoon’s office has not stated if during his discussions with Umerov, the two nations brought up the prospect of South Korea providing Ukraine with weapons.
South Korea has backed Kyiv financially and humanitarianly since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and joined U.S.-led sanctions on Moscow.
However, it has refrained from providing weapons directly, citing a long-standing policy of not