Putin, Kim Jong Un to discuss cooperation in energy, agriculture, transport, security - Kremlin aide

MOSCOW. June 17 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will discuss cooperation in various economic sectors, including energy and transport, and security issues at their upcoming talks.

"Relations between Russia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea [DPRK] are of a friendly and good neighborly nature. They have certainly started to develop quite actively in recent years," Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov told journalists ahead of Putin's state visit to North Korea.

Moscow-Pyongyang relations "have been developing based on the principles of equality, respect for sovereignty and the chosen path of development, as well as taking each other's core interests into consideration," Ushakov said.

The upcoming top-level talks are expected to address the general state of bilateral cooperation in different areas and its development prospects, he said.

"This includes both various sectors of the economy, energy, transport, agriculture, interregional ties, security issues, cooperation on the world stage, etc.," he said.

It is also important to build upon the achieved positive tendencies in bilateral trade, Ushakov said.

"According to our statistics, mutual trade grew tenfold to $34.4 million in 2023. Ways to restore humanitarian ties, which were suspended due to the North Korean authorities' tight measures in the context of the [Covid] pandemic, will be outlined," he said.

The number of Russian tourists visiting North Korea is growing, passenger transportation by air and by rail is normalizing, and sport and cultural ties are developing, Ushakov said.

"Considerable attention will be given to discussions on the international agenda, the two countries' approaches to key foreign policy problems are quite close or coincide completely, together we stand in favor of forming a multipolar world based on the principles of equality, respect for sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs," Ushakov said.

Russia also stands for reviewing the indefinite sanctions imposed on North Korea by the United Nations Security Council, he said.