North Korea may support Russia in Ukraine war. A defense agreement between the two countries will provide military assistance to each other.
North Korea recently approved a defense agreement with Russia, which could pave the way for military support between the two countries. This agreement was first discussed at a summit in Pyongyang in June and has now been signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on November 9, as confirmed by Russian news agency TASS. Following this, the Russian Parliament and North Korea formally ratified the agreement, making it legally binding.
Key Points of the Agreement
The defense pact allows for mutual military assistance if either country is attacked, marking the largest agreement between Russia and North Korea since the Cold War. This has raised the likelihood of North Korean involvement in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
North Korean Troops Reportedly Sent to Russia
According to intelligence sources from the United States, South Korea, and Ukraine, North Korea has already sent around 12,000 soldiers to support Russia in Ukraine. These deployments reportedly began shortly after the June summit. Ukrainian forces have engaged in small skirmishes with North Korean troops in Russia’s Kursk region. Last week, Ukrainian President Zelensky also mentioned the presence of North Korean forces on the battlefield.
North Korea’s Military Aid to Russia
In addition to troops, North Korea has supplied Russia with 13,000 containers of weapons and ammunition since 2023, which Russia is using in its operations against Ukraine.
Growing Global Concerns
The new defense pact between North Korea and Russia has raised concerns internationally. The North Korean military, one of the largest in the world, has over 1.3 million active soldiers. If North Korea joins the conflict, it would be its first involvement in an international war since the Korean War of 1950–1953.
According to a Time magazine report, the U.S. and South Korea are increasingly alarmed by this agreement. American officials fear Russia might assist North Korea’s nuclear ambitions by sharing advanced technology as a form of exchange for military support.
Since the Ukraine war began in early 2022, Russia has been working to strengthen its ties with North Korea, which this new agreement
further solidifies.
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