North Korea has formalized a mutual defense treaty with Russia, according to state media reports on Nov. 12. The agreement commits both nations to come to each other's aid in the event of an armed attack.
The announcement follows reports of first clashes between the Ukrainian Armed Forces and North Korean soldiers stationed in Russia’s border region of Kursk.
North Korea’s KCNA news agency confirmed that Kim Jong Un ratified the treaty as a decree. “The treaty will take effect from the day when both sides exchanged the ratification instruments,” KCNA reported.
Russian lawmakers unanimously approved the treaty last week, and President Vladimir Putin signed it into law. The agreement, signed in June during Putin’s visit to Pyongyang, mandates immediate military assistance by either nation in the event of an attack.
North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, during her recent visit to Moscow, expressed solidarity with Russia, saying that Pyongyang would stand with Russia "until the day of victory."
South Korea, Ukraine, and Western nations have accused North Korea of deploying approximately 10,000 troops to support Russia’s war effort. Western governments have also alleged that Pyongyang has supplied Moscow with artillery shells and missiles for use in Ukraine.
The G7 nations last week denounced the increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia. They voiced concerns that North Korean soldiers might receive training in the use of ballistic missiles, which would violate UN Security Council resolutions.
Kateryna Denisova
(Updated: )
