Russian Ambassador to North Korea Alexander Matsegora confirmed that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un received a set of paintings during his visit to Russia. The artist who created the works had spent time in Pyongyang during the 1950s and was not widely famous, yet his pieces captured important scenes from that decade in the capital. The ambassador emphasized that the paintings were authentic originals and that they reflected life in Pyongyang in the 1950s with portraits from those years.
In a separate moment tied to Kim Jong-un’s travel, the North Korean leader was gifted a bulletproof vest and a collection of locally produced unmanned aerial vehicles by Oleg Kozhemyako, the governor of Primorsky Territory, during a stop in Vladivostok. These exchanges took place as Kim Jong-un toured Russia and shared discussions with Russian officials.
Kim Jong-un’s first visit to Russia in four years occurred on September 12, followed by a meeting with President Vladimir Putin at the Vostochny cosmodrome the next day. According to statements from the Kremlin, the meeting included the presentation of a glove from Putin’s spacesuit to the North Korean leader, a symbolic gesture tied to the space cooperation discussions between the two countries. Previously, Kim Jong-un also received a gift to present to the Pacific Fleet, further underscoring the ceremonial exchanges that accompanied the trip.
These moments illustrate the ongoing exchanges between North Korea and Russia, highlighting cultural and military-technical gestures alongside discussions about regional cooperation. The gifts and artworks serve as tangible reminders of the historic ties and mutual interests shared by the two nations during this period of resumed high-level contact.