North Korea 'fully supports' Russia's army, Kim describes it as 'fraternal duty'
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has said his country "fully supports" the Russian army, describing it as a "fraternal duty," North Korean state media reported on Sept. 4.
The comments come a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Kim in Beijing on Sept. 3, where he thanked him for Pyongyang's assistance during the war against Ukraine.
"Comrade Kim Jong Un and President Putin exchanged candid opinions on important international and regional issues," state media KCNA said.
North Korea has become a key ally to Russia during the full-scale invasion, providing artillery, missiles, and thousands of troops.
Putin previously met Kim while he was visiting Pyongyang in June 2024 to sign the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement, a deal that stipulated mutual support if one country is attacked and preceded the dispatch of North Korean troops to Russia.
Kim initially dispatched around 11,000-12,000 troops to Russia in late 2024 to help fend off a Ukrainian incursion in Kursk Oblast.
After Moscow retook much of the region in the spring of this year, both Putin and Kim publicly acknowledged the participation of North Korean soldiers in the war, marking an unprecedented escalation of the conflict.
"I would like to note that your warriors fought bravely and displayed heroism. We will never forget the sacrifices made by your armed forces and the families of your servicemen," Putin told Kim on Sept. 3,
According to South Korea's intelligence, Pyongyang plans to send an additional 6,000 troops to Russia as part of its third wave of deployment, while some 1,000 combat engineers have already arrived.
A senior Western diplomat told the Kyiv Independent that North Korea could have sent even more troops, with Ukrainian officials estimating Pyongyang's contribution to be between 20,000 and 30,000 soldiers.
South Korea's National Intelligence Service estimates that some 2,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed in the war.
