North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on his way home after concluding a trip to Russia's Far East

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By KIM TONG-HYUNG, HYUNG-JIN KIM and ELISE MORTON
Updated 5:30 AM CDT, September 17, 2023

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is on his way home Sunday from Russia, ending a six-day trip that triggered global concerns about weapons transfer deals between the two countries locked in separate standoffs with the West.

Kim’s armored train departed to the sound of the Russian patriotic march song “Farewell of Slavianka” at the end of a farewell ceremony at a railway station in Artyom, a far eastern Russian city about 200 kilometers (124 miles) from the border with North Korea, Russia’s state news agency RIA reported.

Senior officials including Russia’s Minister of Natural Resources Alexander Kozlov and Primorye regional Gov. Oleg Kozhemyako were present at the ceremony, which featured a Russian military band playing both North Korean and Russian national anthems.

It was Kim’s longest foreign travel since he took power in late 2011. Observers said Kim was expected to return to Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, around Monday afternoon.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-russia-kim-jong-un-putin-7f9fad83f4e56c684c11b9fffbd047e8

[Gore1FL]

1. Old shells fired from degraded barrels. What could possibly go wrong?

The Russians are pretty desperate.

[Shermann]

2. You have to give something to get something

NK has military might far out of balance with its GDP. So those resources come at a huge cost, and they aren't going to provide weapons without getting something significant in return. The only thing Russia has to barter with is missile technology.

[kiri]

3. paying in rubles?

Russia must pay North Korea in rubles, since they have little hard currency left. What is NK going to do with rubles? They can only spend them in Russia---in order to buy what? Maybe wheat.

It is unlikely Russia will pay NK for weapons with gold.

[twodogsbarking]

4. I was hoping Vlad would make the flight arrangements.

[prodigitalson]

5. KJU Risk Map Tour 23

train style

[AlGorerhythm]

6. The reason that this was Kimmy's longest foreign travel...

...is because Kimmy's armoured train flys along at an estimated speed of...checks notes..er, 37 miles per hour.

[LudwigPastorius]

7. Kim's daddy had a heart attack and died on his Supertrain.

Too bad this trip wasn't as productive.