Russian Defense Minister Delivers 'Putin's Letter' to North Korean Leader

North Korean state media reported on Thursday that Sergei Shoigu, the Russian Defense Minister, who has traveled to North Korea, met with Kim Jong Un and delivered 'Putin's letter' to him. Sergei Shoigu, along with a Chinese delegation, has entered North Korea to participate in the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, which is celebrated in North Korea as 'Victory Day.' Shoigu is the first Russian Defense Minister to visit North Korea since the collapse of the Soviet Union. According to Reuters, Kim Jong Un thanked Putin for sending a military delegation led by Shoigu and stated that this meeting has deepened the 'strategic and traditional' relations between North Korea and Russia. The North Korean leader also showed the Russian Defense Minister military weapons, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). The United States has accused North Korea of providing weapons to Russia during the Ukraine war, including the delivery of rockets and infantry missiles to the Wagner Group in November 2022. North Korea's hosting of senior Chinese and Russian officials, North Korea's missile launches again, and the arrival of a U.S. nuclear submarine in South Korea are also notable developments. Discussions between the United Nations Command and North Korea regarding an American soldier are ongoing.