North Korea and Russia strike mutual defense pact amid tensions
Vladimir Putin stressed that the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement includes mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the contract parties. The Russian leader was warmly welcomed at talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang.
North Korea and Russia signed an agreement encompassing mutual military assistance. The comprehensive strategic partnership treaty, signed on Wednesday during Vladimir Putin's visit to Pyongyang, contains a mutual defense clause under which both parties are to support each other in the event of external aggression.
"The comprehensive partnership agreement signed today provides, among other things, for mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties to this agreement," said Putin after talks for about two hours with Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang.
Russian media reported that Putin also announced that Russia does not rule out developing military-technical cooperation with North Korea under this agreement, emphasizing that security and international affairs took up a large part of the meeting.
The Kremlin previously announced that a new "fundamental document" had been prepared to serve as the basis of relations between the two countries.
Against sanctions
Russian state media, citing the Kremlin's website, reported that Russia and North Korea also signed cooperation agreements in healthcare, medical education, and science.
"We oppose the practice of applying politically motivated sanctions and restrictions. Such illegitimate actions only undermine the global economic and political system," said Putin at the end of the meeting with Kim Jong Un.
In 2022, after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, relations between Moscow and Pyongyang tightened, mainly due to Western sanctions imposed on Moscow and Russia’s attempts to circumvent these restrictions.
The United States and South Korea accused Pyongyang authorities of supplying Russia with weapons for use during the war in Ukraine. Russia and North Korea have denied these allegations. Last year, the two countries announced deepening military cooperation during Kim's visit to Vladivostok, where he met with Putin in September.
South Korea's defense ministry estimated at the end of February this year that since that meeting, North Korea has sent Russia around 6,700 containers of ammunition.
According to experts, in exchange for military support, North Korea receives Russian technologies necessary for the development of its missile and nuclear programs, which constitutes a violation of UN sanctions imposed on Pyongyang.
