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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin stand for a photo to mark their summit at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia on Sept. 13. (Yonhap)

In his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans to provide North Korea with technical support for developing spy satellites. Putin’s spokesperson also said the two countries will proceed with cooperation in sensitive areas that cannot be disclosed, suggesting that the two leaders also discussed ways for North Korea to provide artillery shells and other conventional weaponry to Russia as it prosecutes its war in Ukraine.

As South Korea, the US and Japan boost their security cooperation, North Korea and Russia are responding by upping their level of military cooperation in flagrant disregard of UN Security Council sanctions against the North, which is likely to have major geopolitical ramifications.

Kim and Putin met for around two hours at the Vostochny Cosmodrome on Wednesday.

“Comrade Putin and I have just discussed in depth the military-political situation on the Korean Peninsula and in Europe and came to a satisfactory consensus on further strengthening strategic and tactical cooperation, support and solidarity in the struggle to protect the sovereign right of security, to create guarantees of lasting peace in the region, and throughout the world,” Kim said, via interpreter, during a formal dinner that followed the summit.

The two leaders didn’t sign any joint statements or other documents, nor did they hold a press conference. But when reporters asked Putin prior to the meeting whether he would help North Korea develop satellite technology, he said, “That’s why we’re here,” referring to the spaceport.

“The leader of the DPRK shows great interest in rocket engineering; they are also trying to develop space,” the Russian president continued.

“We’re going to discuss every issue without rushing things,” Putin told a reporter who asked whether he and Kim would discuss military and technological cooperation with North Korea.

Putin mentioned the possibility of cooperating with North Korea on military technology during an appearance on Channel One, a Russian television channel, following the summit. When asked whether such cooperation had come up during his summit with Kim, Putin said, “To be sure, there are restrictions” — namely, the UN Security Council’s sanctions on North Korea — “and Russia is complying with those restrictions. But there are things to discuss and consider, and there’s some potential there.”

It's quite likely that Russia asked North Korea to provide armaments for use in its war in Ukraine in exchange for technical assistance with developing spy satellites.

When asked whether an arms deal would be discussed prior to the summit, Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said, “As neighbors, our countries implement cooperation in sensitive areas that should not become the subject of public disclosure and announcement.”

The two leaders stressed their firm ties, with Kim reconfirming North Korea’s full support for Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Kim expressed “hope that we will always be together in the fight against imperialism and for the construction of a sovereign state,” in prepared remarks before the summit.

During the dinner, Kim said, “We are confident that the Russian army and people will inevitably attain victory in the sacred struggle to punish the evil crowd, which claims the right to hegemony based on the illusion of expansionism, a struggle to create the stability needed for development.”

Putin said of Kim that he was “firmly and confidently following the course laid down by outstanding statesmen” of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, who he said were Russia’s “genuine and true friends and consistently supported building the closest relations and ties between our countries.”

“An arms deal or an agreement about aerospace technology appears to have been in the background. After Russia, North Korea will likely attempt to reach out to China as well,” said Wi Sung-lac, who previously served as the South Korean ambassador to Russia.

By Shin Hyeong-cheol, staff reporter

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