As Kim visits Putin, US approves $5 billion sale of F-35 jets to South Korea

The US State Department on Wednesday approved a $5 billion sale of top-of-the-line F-35 fighter jets to South Korea. The announcement came in the backdrop of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin for a rare summit.

The State Department informed Congress that it had green-lit the sale of 25 fighter jets, as well as engines and related equipment,developed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin.

"It [the sale] will improve the Republic of Korea's capability to meet current and future threats by providing credible defence capability to deter aggression in the region and ensure interoperability with US forces," the State Department said in astatement.

"The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region," it added.

The sale comes as tensions rise due to increasedcooperation between North Korea and Russia. Kim met Putin on Wednesday (September 13) and the two leaders discussedworld affairs as well as areas of collaboration.

"The Russian army and people will certainly win a great victory in the sacred struggle for the punishment of a great evil that claims hegemony and feeds an expansionist illusion," Kim said praising Russia.

Meanwhile, Putin confirmed that Moscow would help North Korea build satellites.Putin said: "That's why we came here."

Washingtonnot impressed

In the aftermath, the US State Department released a statement, saying it was"troubling" that the Kremlin would discuss cooperation with Pyongyangon programmes that are in contravention of the UN Security Council resolutions

"We have taken a number of actions already to sanction entities that brokered arms sales between North Korea and Russia, and we won't hesitate to impose additional sanctions if appropriate," said spokesman Matthew Miller.

Kim has repeatedly called out theUS-South Korea alliance and recently criticised Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises, held in the peninsula.Pyongyang is of the view that the exercise was a rehearsal for invasion while the two allies maintain it was for defensive purposes. The military drill came to an end on August 31.

With Pyongyang growing closer to Moscow, the approval of the sale of F-35s is an attempt by Washington to keep an upper hand in the region. The US only approves the saleof the jets to its closest partners, with Turkeybooted from the F-35 programme after a major purchase from Russia of a missile defence system.

(With inputs from agencies)

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