North Korea’s Kim meets Russia’s Shoigu in Vladivostok – DW – 09/16/2023

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Vladivostok on Saturday accompanied by Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and inspected a hypersonic aircraft missile system before boarding a warship, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

Kim’s first official trip abroad since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered concerns among Western nations that Moscow and Pyongyang might engage in arms trade despite existing sanctions.

There is speculation that Moscow may be interested in procuring North Korean ammunition for the conflict in Ukraine, while Pyongyang seeks Russia’s…