Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, announced his determination to "expand and deepen" cooperation with Russia and support the war he referred to as "holy." This statement was in response to a congratulatory message sent by Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of the establishment of this country.
North Korean forces in the Ukraine war
North Korea is the only third country that has directly deployed its ground forces in the Russia-Ukraine war. Since late 2024, this country has sent between 14,000 to 15,000 soldiers to Russia, primarily stationed to assist Putin in countering Ukrainian counterattacks in the Kursk region of Russia.
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While Russia has become severely isolated on the global stage, with even traditional allies like India urging Putin to stop the war in Ukraine for the sake of humanity, this country has instead strengthened its ties with Kim's regime.
Joint defense agreement
In June 2024, Russia signed a joint defense agreement with North Korea in which both countries committed to assist each other in the event of an attack. Kim emphasized that the Pyongyang government has a strong will to expand its "comprehensive" cooperation with Russia based on mutual friendship and reciprocal assistance.
Confident in Russia's victory in this "holy war for the defense of national security interests and international justice," he indirectly referred to the Ukraine war. This language appears to reflect Moscow's justifications for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The North Korean leader also announced his "steadfast and eternal" support for Putin and the Russian people. This comes as Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, has warned that Russia and North Korea have agreed to deploy between 30,000 to 50,000 North Korean soldiers on Russian soil.
Formation of military forces and combat experiences
Zelensky also pointed out that this agreement gives North Korea more than just manpower. He stated, "North Korea will enhance its capabilities in relatively modern warfare and will receive permissions from Russia and various military tools from them. We understand this well." He added that these forces are gaining combat experience and are not preparing for peaceful conditions.
The South Korean Ministry of Defense announced in late August that Pyongyang is preparing to send more troops to Russia, although there are no signs that this deployment will happen soon. Last week, Kim spoke of what state media referred to as special appreciation and respect for commanders and soldiers "participating in foreign military operations," which likely referred to the North Korean forces deployed in the Russia war.
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Source: independent.co.uk
