Kim leaves Russia with token drones

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un left Russia on Sunday aboard his armored train, taking home with him Russian drones and a bullet proof vest as tokens from his hosts.

A "departure ceremony" was held at the Artyom-Primorsky-1 station, where Kim's train left for the border 250 kilometers away, according to a video broadcasted by Ria Novosti.

In the footage, Kim is seen waving goodbye from the train to a Russian delegation led by Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov, before the Russian march "Farewell of Slavianka" is played as the train rolls.

Kim had been given five explosive drones, a reconnaissance drone, a bulletproof vest and "special clothing not detectable by thermal cameras" as gifts from a regional governor, TASS news agency reported.

One of the drones was a "Geran-25" reconnaissance drone capable of vertical takeoff.

The North Korean leader was in Far East Russia since Tuesday, meeting President Vladimir Putin and touring military equipment and facilities.

The Kim-Putin meeting is believed to be a formality for a trade in arms and technology, though Moscow denied that an agreement to that effect was signed by the two leaders.

He capped his visit with a meeting with Russian defense minister and inspection of bomber planes and a hypersonic missile system in Vladivostok on Saturday.

In Seoul, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol lashed out at Kim in an interview published Sunday, calling the military cooperation between North Korea and Russia "illegal and unjust."

WITH AFP