By Yi Whan-woo
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin have a few things in common.
First, the two are currently being ostracized from the international community — Putin for his territorial claims in Crimea, and Kim for his nuclear brinkmanship.
The two men also hold dictatorial-like power over their respective nations. However, that's likely where their similarities end.
Putin, a former KGB official, is 62 years old and regarded as a key player in global politics, while the 31-year-old Kim, although undoubtedly ruthless, is often mocked and derided internationally.
Physically, the two are poles apart as well. Putin appears fit and lean and often boasts of his athletic prowess, while Kim is overweight and reportedly had a case of gout recently that forced him to use a cane to get around.
Regardless of their differences, the two would still find some common ground were they to meet. That ground would most likely be frozen, however, given the fact the two have been very much left out in the cold, internationally speaking.
Such a meeting is now emerging as a distinct possibility, and experts say a summit bringing the former allies together is in the works.
In a press conference in Moscow Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hinted at a Kim-Putin summit.
Lavrov made his remarks following a meeting with Pyongyang's special envoy, Choe Ryong-hae, in the wake of the United Nations' adoption of a resolution against North Korea for its human rights violations.
Choe, a close confidant of Kim, is visiting Russia from Nov. 18-24. He met with Putin on Nov. 19 and delivered a letter from Kim requesting bilateral cooperation between the two countries in various areas, including politics, the economy and the military.
"The summit could increase the Kremlin's influence on the regime in Pyongyang," said Hong Hyun-ik, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute.
"Russia will be able to exercise political, economic and military leverage on North Korea in an attempt to counter China, Pyongyang's biggest ally," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.
Yang speculated that the summit might take place in February at the earliest.
Pyongyang and Moscow embarked on a project in 2008 to rebuild the railway from the ice-free northeastern port of Najin in North Korea to the nearby Russian town of Khasan.
Three South Korean enterprises — POSCO, Hyundai Merchant Marine and the Korea Railroad Corporation — formed a consortium to take part in the plan for the 54-kilometer cross-border railway by purchasing a share from the Russian side, which holds a 70-percent stake.
According to the Ministry of Unification, South Korea will be able to import Russian coal via North Korea at a cheaper price if it joins the project. However, political stability in the region will be crucial for a stable supply of the coal, it said.
"Russia will be able to ensure stability of the Najin-Khasan project with enhanced ties with Pyongyang once the summit takes place," Hong said.
Yang voiced a similar view, saying, "The summit can boost trilateral economic cooperation between Seoul, Pyongyang and Moscow onto a new level."
According to the Russian Foreign Minister, North Korea is "ready to return to the table unconditionally" for the six-party talks that have been delayed for years. These talks involve the two Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia.
"It's possible that North Korea could lean toward Russia. We need to enhance our ties with Moscow if we want to have a bigger say at the six-party talks once they resume," Yang said.
"North Korea will try to overcome its international isolation by building its relationship with Russia," Hong said. "It's up to our government to capitalize on such a relationship to lead North Korea in actively engaging in the six-party talks."
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin have a few things in common.
First, the two are currently being ostracized from the international community — Putin for his territorial claims in Crimea, and Kim for his nuclear brinkmanship.
The two men also hold dictatorial-like power over their respective nations. However, that's likely where their similarities end.
Putin, a former KGB official, is 62 years old and regarded as a key player in global politics, while the 31-year-old Kim, although undoubtedly ruthless, is often mocked and derided internationally.
Physically, the two are poles apart as well. Putin appears fit and lean and often boasts of his athletic prowess, while Kim is overweight and reportedly had a case of gout recently that forced him to use a cane to get around.
Regardless of their differences, the two would still find some common ground were they to meet. That ground would most likely be frozen, however, given the fact the two have been very much left out in the cold, internationally speaking.
Such a meeting is now emerging as a distinct possibility, and experts say a summit bringing the former allies together is in the works.
In a press conference in Moscow Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hinted at a Kim-Putin summit.
Lavrov made his remarks following a meeting with Pyongyang's special envoy, Choe Ryong-hae, in the wake of the United Nations' adoption of a resolution against North Korea for its human rights violations.
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Choe, a close confidant of Kim, is visiting Russia from Nov. 18-24. He met with Putin on Nov. 19 and delivered a letter from Kim requesting bilateral cooperation between the two countries in various areas, including politics, the economy and the military.
"The summit could increase the Kremlin's influence on the regime in Pyongyang," said Hong Hyun-ik, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute.
"Russia will be able to exercise political, economic and military leverage on North Korea in an attempt to counter China, Pyongyang's biggest ally," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.
Yang speculated that the summit might take place in February at the earliest.
Pyongyang and Moscow embarked on a project in 2008 to rebuild the railway from the ice-free northeastern port of Najin in North Korea to the nearby Russian town of Khasan.
Three South Korean enterprises — POSCO, Hyundai Merchant Marine and the Korea Railroad Corporation — formed a consortium to take part in the plan for the 54-kilometer cross-border railway by purchasing a share from the Russian side, which holds a 70-percent stake.
According to the Ministry of Unification, South Korea will be able to import Russian coal via North Korea at a cheaper price if it joins the project. However, political stability in the region will be crucial for a stable supply of the coal, it said.
"Russia will be able to ensure stability of the Najin-Khasan project with enhanced ties with Pyongyang once the summit takes place," Hong said.
Yang voiced a similar view, saying, "The summit can boost trilateral economic cooperation between Seoul, Pyongyang and Moscow onto a new level."
According to the Russian Foreign Minister, North Korea is "ready to return to the table unconditionally" for the six-party talks that have been delayed for years. These talks involve the two Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia.
"It's possible that North Korea could lean toward Russia. We need to enhance our ties with Moscow if we want to have a bigger say at the six-party talks once they resume," Yang said.
"North Korea will try to overcome its international isolation by building its relationship with Russia," Hong said. "It's up to our government to capitalize on such a relationship to lead North Korea in actively engaging in the six-party talks."
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