The Russian and North Korean leaders met on September 13 at the Vostochny Cosmodrome, a Russian space port in the Amur region.
"Now today's historic 2023 DPRK-Russia Summit at Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia first and foremost highlights one of the most significant geopolitical and geostrategic importances," Dr. Kiyul Chung, editor-in-chief at the 4th Media and a retired professor of Tsinghua University, told Sputnik. "The 2023 Summit itself powerfully culminates, defines, embodies, and witnesses the arrival of the anti-imperialist and self-determined multipolar world of the 21st century."
Per Dr. Chung, the idea to hold the meeting at Russia's spaceport symbolizes the two nations' future collaboration in the field of space exploration and other high-end technologies despite pressure from the West.
"Both DPRK and Russia are facing all sorts of threats from the already-collapsed 'five century-long West-dominated unipolar power'. One of the threats they've had forcibly imposed is the very existence of both of their nations," the scholar continued.
Russia and North Korea: Strategic Longterm Cooperation
Vladimir Putin noted that his meeting with Kim Jong Un is taking place "at a special time": just recently, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) celebrated 75 years since its creation. For his part, Kim thanked Putin for the invitation to visit Russia, stressing that relations with Moscow is Pyongyang's "priority". The North Korean leader called his trip to Russia a demonstration of the importance of strategic ties.
"Comrade Putin and I 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, supporting solidarity in the struggle for the protection of the sovereign right of security, for creating guarantees of lasting peace in the region, and throughout the world," Kim stated during an official dinner held in his honor later in the day.
During the meeting, Kim reiterated his support for Moscow's special military operation to demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine, stressing that "the DPRK will always stand with Russia in the fight against imperialism," a clear reference to NATO's proxy war in Eastern Europe. The DPRK chairman pointed out that he and his Russian counterpart will build "stable, future-oriented and long-term relations" between Moscow and Pyongyang.
The two countries have a long record of cooperation which originates in the early years of the Cold War era. Together, the Soviet and North Korean military protected DPRK independence and sovereignty against US intervention in the course of the Korean War (1950-1953). When the hostilities were over, the USSR helped Pyongyang restore the nation's economy.
Presently, the DPRK is interested in the opportunity to cooperate with Russia in the field of aviation, transport and infrastructure, as Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Wednesday. In addition, the sides discussed cooperation in the field of joint space exploration, Putin said, hinting that Russia-North Korea military-technical collaboration is also on the table.
Per Dr. Chung, "the Kim-Putin summit first and foremost apparently intends to nullify, pacify, or ruin whatever attempts the US-led suicidal nuclear war games, specifically both in Korean Peninsula and Ukraine."
Furthermore, the summit is openly challenging the West's illegal sanctions, according to the scholar.
"Today's summit in Russia is the defiant denunciation, disregard, and complete rejection of illegal economic sanctions regimes of all sorts the US-led unipolar imperial powers have unilaterally wielded for decades. By the way, the latter Russia is one of the latest and by far 'the most far-reaching' cases. According to the most recent news reports about the US/West-led UN sanctions against DPRK, Russia apparently intends to dismantle the [sanctions] regime by strengthening both nations' economic cooperation at all levels," Chung said.
Western Media Up in Arms About Kim-Putin Meeting
The Kim-Putin meeting has stolen Western mainstream press headlines: the media has expressed unease over the summit of two leaders whose countries are under severe Western sanctions. American and British journalists particularly cited their respective government's discontent with an alleged arms deal supposedly discussed by the Russian and North Korean leaders.
The American press also quoted US administration officials expressing fears that Pyongyang could receive technology that could advance North Korea's satellite and nuclear-powered submarine capabilities.
Russia and the DPRK are cooperating for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries, and not against anyone; bilateral relations should not be a matter of concern for third countries, Peskov summarized on Wednesday.
"All other issues concern only our two countries, two sovereign countries, and should not be a subject of concern to third states. For our cooperation is carried out for the benefit of the peoples of our two countries, but not against anyone," the Kremlin spokesman stressed.
The summit of Russian and North Korean leaders has demonstrated that the US' dominance is fading, while a new multi-polar world, free of Washington's diktat, is taking shape, according to Dr. Chung.
The scholar noted that the seeds of what is happening today were sown back in 2000, when President Putin met with Kim's predecessor, Chairman Kim Jong Il. In July 2000, the first summit in the history of Russian-Korean relations (after the collapse of the USSR) took place and a Joint Declaration was signed.
"In that historic declaration, there is one item I'd like to highlight," Dr. Chung said. "It's about the number 1 Clause of that Declaration. There is a most important and historic language, expression, or declaration which was worded as in the following: 'The DPRK and the Russian Federation .... [are] creating a multipolar world and building a new, fair, and rational international order based upon the principles of equality, mutual respect, and friendly cooperation'."
"Today's Kim-Putin Summit in Russia which can be interpreted as an assessment is kind of a recommitment as a rededication, reevaluation, and revelation of that historic 2000 Summit in Korea which I argue laid the most significant historic foundations of the anti-imperialist and self-determined multipolar world in the 21st century, 23 years ago for the sake of the future of the whole humanity," the scholar concluded.