North Korea, Russia Formalize Military Alliance
North Korea has officially ratified a landmark mutual defense treaty with Russia, marking a significant escalation in the two countries’ deepening military cooperation. Al Jazeera reports.
This move has sparked widespread international concern, particularly as tensions escalate in the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
The Treaty of Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships, signed in June during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Pyongyang, commits both countries to providing immediate military assistance to each other, using “all means” necessary if either faces “aggression.” North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a decree on Monday, formally ratifying the agreement.
The agreement, described by Kim as an “alliance,” comes amid growing reports of military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang. This includes alleged transfers of weapons from North Korea to Russia and claims about the deployment of thousands of North Korean soldiers to fight for Russia in Ukraine.
Intelligence reports from South Korea, the US, and Ukraine suggest that at least 11,000 North Korean soldiers have been sent to fight on the front lines in Ukraine, primarily deployed in Russia’s Kursk region. In particular, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Moscow has assembled a force of 50,000 soldiers, including North Korean troops, for an impending offensive.
While Moscow and Pyongyang have not confirmed the presence of North Korean soldiers in Russia, Zelensky has already condemned the West’s response to Pyongyang’s involvement, saying that a “new page in instability in the world” has been opened.
For South Korea, still technically at war with North Korea, the deepening alliance between its primary foe and Russia raises concerns about alleged potential transfers of advanced nuclear technology from Moscow to Pyongyang in exchange for its support in Ukraine. South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has warned that he may send arms to Ukraine if North Korean soldiers are not withdrawn from Russia.
