North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un Brings Defense Industry Officials To Russia, Will We Discuss Weapons Cooperation?

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un left Pyongyang for Russia. (Source: KCNA)

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has left Pyongyang for Russia on a presidential special train, state media reported on Tuesday, with photos showing he may be accompanied by top officials in the arms industry, among diplomats and other military commanders.

Leader Kim departed on Sunday on a trip that would include a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, state news agency KCNA said.

American officials, who first reported the visit would soon be held, said the discussions would most likely include a possible North Korean deal to provide Russia with weapons for war in Ukraine.

Leader Kim was accompanied by top government officials including military personnel, KCNA said.

Among the delegates were prominent military members from the ruling party, including the Director of the Department of Ammunition Industry Jo Chun Ryong.

An analyst said the delegation's composition showed the visit would mainly focus on defense industry cooperation and security matters.

"The presence of Jo Chun Ryong shows that North Korea and Russia will complete a kind of ammunition purchase agreement," said Michael Madden, North Korean lead expert at the Washington-based Stimson Center.

Photographs released by state media showed troops in military honor and crowds of people wearing dark suits and colorful dresses waving flowers and flags as he boarded a dark green train, believed to be armored and carrying other special equipment.

Leader Kim's trip to Russia and a meeting with Putin will be a full-scale visit, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an online video.

According to Peskov, the main topic of conversation is relations between neighboring countries

"We will continue to strengthen our friendship," Peskov said.

Both Moscow and Pyongyang have denied US allegations that they had made a gun deal, but the two countries have pledged to improve defense ties.

The United States has repeatedly criticized news of arms cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow, warning of the risks that would result from such agreements.

United States Vice President Kamala Harris on the sidelines of last week's ASEAN summit said North Korea's move to exchange support with Russia for use in war in Ukraine was a grave mistake.

"I think it would be a big mistake. The idea that they would supply ammunition for that purpose would be a big mistake. I am also very confident that for Russia and North Korea, this will further isolate them," Vice President Harris said in an interview with CBS News.

Earlier, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Tuesday warned leader Kim his country would pay a price to supply weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine.

"We will continue to call on North Korea to comply with its public commitment not to supply weapons to Russia which will eventually kill Ukrainians," Sullivan said.

Long before, a North Korean defense ministry official in November last year said Pyongyang had "never made a "gun deal" with Russia" and had "no plans to do that in the future."