The head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Sergei Naryshkin visited Pyongyang earlier this week to discuss security cooperation, North Korea’s KCNA news agency reported on Thursday, weeks after Seoul accused the North of sent thousands of containers of weapons to Moscow to support the invasion of Ukraine, reports AFP, quoted by Agerpres.
Serghei Narishkin met with the North Korean Minister of State Security, Ri Chang Dae, during his visit that took place from Monday to Wednesday.
The two officials discussed strengthening cooperation “to deal with the increasing espionage and plots of hostile forces,” KCNA reported.
“The two sides reached a full consensus on the outstanding issues during the two meetings that took place in an atmosphere of camaraderie and friendship”, according to the same source.
Russia and North Korea are both subject to international sanctions: Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine and Pyongyang for its nuclear weapons tests.
In September, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a summit in the Russian Far East, during which Kim declared ties with Moscow to be his country’s “number one priority.”
The United States later claimed that Pyongyang had begun supplying Moscow with weapons.
In early March, Seoul said North Korea had shipped about 7,000 containers of weapons to Russia for its war against Ukraine since the transfers began in July.
Pyongyang is seeking a range of military aid in return, such as satellite technology and upgrading its Soviet-era military equipment, according to Washington.
Tags: Russian espionage Sergei Narishkin threeday visit North Korea
