A bilateral strategic security pact with Moscow calls for mutual assistance in the event of foreign aggression
North Korea has formally approved a landmark strategic partnership agreement with Russia, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Tuesday. The agreement, signed by the leaders of both countries during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Pyongyang in June, solidifies a strategic alliance between the two nations.
According to KCNA, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a decree on Monday to ratify the treaty with Moscow, following his Russian counterpart’s similar action. The agreement will come into effect upon the exchange of ratification documents by both sides. President Putin signed the document into law on Saturday, after it received approval from both houses of Russia’s parliament.
The document formally ratifies the “Comprehensive Partnership Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, signed in Pyongyang on June 19, 2024.”
The treaty, encompassing 23 articles, outlines a commitment by Russia and North Korea to provide mutual support in the event of foreign aggression. The agreement also emphasizes cooperation between the two countries to promote lasting regional and international peace and security.
Article 4 of the document explicitly states that “if one of the parties is subjected to an armed attack by any state or several states and thus finds itself in a state of war, the other party will immediately provide military and other assistance by all means at its disposal in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter” and national legislation.
The mutual ratification follows a recent visit by North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui to Moscow earlier this month, where she reiterated North Korea’s unwavering support for Russia in the Ukraine conflict.
Ukraine and Western countries have repeatedly accused Pyongyang of providing artillery shells and missiles to Moscow for use against Ukrainian forces. Last month, the US claimed that “at least 3,000” North Korean soldiers had entered eastern Russia, while South Korea’s intelligence agency, the NIS, alleged that Pyongyang had dispatched 1,500 troops to Russia for training. The agency added that these soldiers “are expected to be deployed to the front lines once their adaptation training is completed.”
North Korea has categorically denied these allegations, characterizing them as attempts to damage Pyongyang’s reputation. Putin has neither confirmed nor denied these claims, stating that the details of cooperation between the two countries are not a matter of public concern.
Earlier this month, Russia’s permanent representative to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, asserted that Moscow’s security cooperation with Pyongyang does not violate international law as it is not directed against any specific countries.