Russia sends hundreds of goats to North Korea amid deepening bilateral ties

Seoul, Aug 13 : Russia's agriculture safety watchdog has approved the shipment of 447 goats to North Korea after reviewing related veterinary and sanitary conditions, according to its website, amid deepening cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.

After veterinary inspection, 432 female and 15 male goats were sent to a North Korean trading company in the first batch of exports of live animals to the North, reports Yonhap news agency, quoting the statement posted on the website of Russia's Rosselkhoznadzor.

The shipment was intended to be delivered from Russia's Leningrad region to North Korea's border city of Rason, it said.

The move came as North Korea and Russia have been bolstering the scope of their cooperation following last year's summit between the North's leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The shipment of goats appears to be aimed at providing dairy products to North Korean children amid its chronic food shortages.

North Korea's state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on August 9 that goat farms with a large capacity have been built in parts of the western port city of Nampho.

"As a result, the foundation has been consolidated to smoothly provide dairy products for the children in the municipality," reports Yonhap news agency, quoting KCNA, adding that the municipality is spurring efforts to increase the number of goats of good breed in a bid to boost the output of dairy products.

At a plenary party meeting in June 2021, Kim called for setting a party policy to supply all children across the country with dairy products and other nutritious food at the expense of state funds.