Putin Makes First Visit to North Korea in 24 Years
The Facts
In what was his first visit to the country in 24 years, Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin is to arrive in North Korea for a two-day stay late on Tuesday.
The visit comes following a personal invitation from North Korea's Kim Jong-un in September, the last time the pair met in Russia's far east. The leaders, according to reports at the time, likely discussed North Korean weapons in exchange for Russian satellite technology.
The Spin
Having last visited Pyongyang in 2000, this rare trip for Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin underscores the burgeoning relationship between Russia and a reclusive, nuclear-armed state. This, of course, is a concern in Washington, and the capitals of other nations.
Russia has maintained good neighborly relations with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for more than seven decades. The Soviet Union helped in its fight for independence and was one of the first to recognize the DPRK and establish diplomatic relationships with it. Russia will continue to cultivate this relationship.
