Kim Jong-un shows off ICBMs to Russian defense minister
North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un on Thursday showed off his country's ICBMs and previously unseen drones to visiting Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu as a showcase of North Korea's military might.
Shoigu, who leads a Russian delegation, arrived in the capital Pyongyang at the formal invitation of the North Korean government to attend the peninsular country's celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice, which ended open hostilities and is celebrated as Victory Day.
A Chinese delegation, led by Communist Party Politburo member Li Hongzhong, also arrived in Pyongyang to attend the same anniversary events, which are expected to include a major military parade in the capital.
On Thursday, Kim gave Shoigu a tour of North Korea's arsenal, including the Hwasong intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which was successfully tested in April.
The Russian minister also visited two new drone designs, including one resembling the primary offensive strike drone used by the US Air Force, according to NK News, a specialist site focusing on North Korea.
According to a report by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim and Shoigu visited the "Weapons and Equipment Exhibition 2023."
The report also showed photos and footage that featured North Korea's largest intercontinental ballistic missiles, the Hwasong-17, and the Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM.
Before visiting North Korea's newest and most advanced weaponry, Kim and Shoigu had discussed "matters of mutual concern in the field of national defense and security and on the regional and international security environment," KCNA added.
During the visit to the defense exhibition, Kim told Shoigu "about the weapons and equipment which were invented and produced" under North Korea's national defense plan and "repeatedly expressed belief that the Russian army and people would achieve big successes", the report further said.
Shoigu is making the first visit by a Russian defense minister to North Korea since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
ME
