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Putin’s Goes Joyriding in North Korea
If there’s anything Putin’s good at, it’s pressing the West’s buttons, and his latest trip to North Korea, which took place on June 19, is no exception.
However, by signing a new defence pact with Kim Jong Un, Putin might inadvertently gain Ukraine, a new supporter.
For decades, the US, China and Russia have worked together to contain North Korea’s weapons programs and illegal activities; Russia has stepped away from that agreement.
They’re by pissed off both the Chinese and the USA and made South Korea an enemy of Russia, whereas, in the past, South Korea was happy not to get involved with the Russians and the USA throwing mud at each other.
Vladimir Putin has been known to antagonise the West by partnering with North Korea; Putin likely pissed off South Korea.
South Korea has become one of the top five arms exporters globally but has limited its exports to Ukraine until now.
South Korea’s position as a defence industrial powerhouse is backed up by real numbers, with arms exports continually increasing from the 2–3 billion USD range in the late 2010s to 7.3 billion USD in 2021, 17.3 billion USD in 2022, and 14 billion USD in 2023.
If South Korea’s position begins to shift, and it looks like it could be heading in that direction already, we could expect plenty more deals.
According to Reuters reporting, Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz was quoted on Thursday by the state news agency PAP as saying Poland will probably sign a contract with South Korea in September to deliver more arms, particularly K2 tanks.
