Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), visited Vladivostok City of the Russian Federation on September 16. The city was in a fervent and warm welcoming atmosphere to greet the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un at a time when a fresh heyday of friendship and solidarity and cooperation is being opened up in the history of the development of the relations between the DPRK and Russia. The private train of Kim Jong Un arrived at the yard of the Artyom-Primorski Station No. 1 at 9:00 local time.
He was greeted by Alexandr Kozlov, minister of Natural Resources and Ecology, Oleg Kozhemyako, governor of the Maritime Territory Administration, Byacheslav Kwon, mayor of Artyom, and other senior officials from the capital and local areas. He exchanged greetings with the senior officials who came to receive him, and warmly waved back to the lovely Russian children welcoming him with bouquets. He visited the Knevichi Airbase as the first leg of his tour of Vladivostok. Accompanying him were Marshals of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) Ri Pyong Chol and Pak Jong Chon, Kang Sun Nam, minister of National Defence of the DPRK, General Kim Kwang Hyok, commander of the KPA Air Force, Admiral Kim Myong Sik, commander of the KPA Navy, other leading officials and suite members, and senior officials of the Russian Federation from the capital and local areas.
The guard of honor of the three services of the armed forces of the Russian Federation and the military band lined up at the airbase. Kim Jong Un was warmly greeted by Sergei Shoigu, minister of Defence of the Russian Federation. He gladly met and exchanged warm greetings with Sergei Shoigu. He reviewed the guard of honor of the three services of the armed forces of the Russian Federation.
He exchanged greetings with Aleksey Krivoruchko, vice minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, Nikolai Yevmenov, commander-in-chief of the Navy of the Russian Federation, Sergei Kobylash, commander of the long-range bomber force, and other commanding officers of the Russian armed forces who came to receive him, and observed different types of strategic bombers, multi-role fighter jets, pursuit fighter jets, attack fighter jets and other modern warplanes of the Russian air force. Sergei Kobylash, commander of the long-range bomber force, warmly welcomed Kim Jong Un visiting the Knevichi Airbase and explained in detail about the military planes on display. Seeing the military planes on display, Kim Jong Un learned about their combat performance and arms and equipment, being briefed on their tactical and technical specifications.
Then he had a talk with commanding officers of the Russian armed forces. Sergei Kobylash presented Kim Jong Un with a gift as a token of deep thanks for his visit to the airbase. Kim Jong Un visited the Pacific Sea Fleet base as the next leg of his tour. The Pacific Sea Fleet is a powerful naval fortress of the national defences of Russia which reliably defends the territorial waters and national interests of Russia in constant actual war readiness with various kinds of surface ships, different types of submarines including strategic nuclear submarines, air force and other latest strategic weapons and equipment.
The Pacific Sea Fleet received Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, president of the State Affairs of the DPRK and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, with the deepest sincerity and respect and faith. Kim Jong Un was greeted by Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Commander-in-Chief of the Navy Nikolai Yevmenov, Commander of the Pacific Sea Fleet Viktor Liina and other commanding officers of the fleet.
He exchanged greetings with the commanding officers of the navy who came to greet him, and boarded Frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov, being saluted by the guard of honor of the three services of the armed forces of the Russian Federation and the guard of honor of the Pacific Sea Fleet. He received a salute from the captain of the frigate.
Being explained in detail by Commander-in-Chief Yevmenov about the naval operation capability, major weapons and equipment and combat performance of the frigate, Kim Jong Un went round its combined control room, wheelhouse, etc. He highly appreciated the service personnel of the Pacific Sea Fleet for having made a great contribution to peace and security in Northeast Asia and the rest of the world by displaying brave fighting spirit and heroism. And he presented his gift as a token of his visit to the fleet and left his autograph in the visitors’ book “The victorious wake for defending justice and peace will last forever.
Regard for the Pacific Sea Fleet Kim Jong Un 2023. 9.16”. Sergei Shoigu, minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, hosted a luncheon in welcome of Kim Jong Un’s visit to the fleet. At the luncheon, he warmly welcomed once again the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un who visited the Russian Federation and the Pacific Sea Fleet, expressing his will to further deepen the friendship and cooperation between the defence ministries of the two countries. DPRK Defence Minister Kang Sun Nam in his reply speech conveyed the warm militant greetings of the officers and men of the Korean People’s Army to all the officers and men of the heroic Pacific Sea Fleet, expressing the willingness to further strengthen the militant unity and cooperation with the Russian army and reliably safeguard the regional and global peace and stability.
The luncheon proceeded in a comradely and friendly atmosphere. Kim Jong Un was presented with a gift by Sergei Shoigu. At the end of the luncheon he had a talk with Sergei Shoigu. Expressing his pleasure of meeting the Russian defence minister again, he spoke highly of the development, modernity and heroism of the Russian armed forces reliably defending the independent right and development interests of the country.
Recalling that he was given special hospitality by Kim Jong Un during his Pyongyang visit made on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Fatherland Liberation War, Defence Minister Shoigu expressed thanks to Kim Jong Un for visiting the Russian Federation to encourage the service personnel and people of Russia who have turned out to realize their cause of justice. Kim Jong Un shared views on the regional and international military and political situation with Sergei Shoigu, and exchanged their constructive opinions on the practical issues arising in further strengthening the strategic and tactical coordination, cooperation and mutual exchange between the armed forces of the two countries and in the fields of their national defence and security.
That evening he, together with Vladivostok citizens, enjoyed a ballet “Sleeping Beauty” at the Maritime Territory Branch of the Mariinsky Theatre. Among the audience were DPRK Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, O Su Yong and Pak Thae Song, secretaries of the C.C., WPK, and other senior officials and suite members. Alexandr Kozlov, minister of Natural Resources and Ecology of Russia, Oleg Kozhemyako, governor of the Maritime Territory Administration, and other senior officials from Moscow and local areas of Russia enjoyed the ballet together with them. Kim Jong Un was warmly greeted by Russian cadres and Sergei Bannikov, manager of the theatre.
He, touring Vladivostok City with friendly feelings toward the Russian people, took the reserved seats of the theatre together with the cadres of the two countries, being given a rousing ovation by citizens of Vladivostok. He expressed deep thanks to the performers and the theatre for their impressive and elegant ballet of high artistic value.