A historic defense agreement between North Korea and Russia signed by its leaders in June has gone into effect after the two sides exchanged ratification documents, North Korea’s official KCNA news agency said on Thursday.
The pact has been formalized as the United States and South Korea accuse the nuclear-armed North of sending more than 10,000 troops to help Russia fight Ukraine.
Experts say North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is seeking advanced technology from Moscow and combat experience for his troops in return.
Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a strategic partnership agreement during the Kremlin chief’s visit to Pyongyang.
It obliges both states to provide military assistance “without delay” in the event of an attack on each other and to jointly oppose Western sanctions.
It went into effect on Wednesday, when ratification documents were exchanged in Moscow by the country’s Deputy Foreign Ministers Kim Jong Gyu and Andrei Rudenko, KCNA reported.
Last month, lawmakers in Moscow voted unanimously for the deal and Putin later signed it. Pyongyang said this was confirmed by Kim’s order.
“The treaty will serve as a strong driving force to accelerate the establishment of a free and equitable multi-polarized world order without domination, subordination and hegemony,” KCNA said.
Analysts have suggested that Pyongyang may use Ukraine as a means to realign its foreign policy.
They say that by sending troops, North Korea is positioning itself as a supplier of arms, military aid and labor within the Russian war economy – possibly even sidelining traditional ally, neighbor and main trading partner China.
North Korea and Russia have strengthened their military ties since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Both countries are under UN sanctions – the first for its nuclear weapons program and the second for the Ukraine conflict.
Kim said during Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov’s visit to Pyongyang last week that his government, military and people “will always support the Russian Federation’s policy of safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
Putin praised the deal in June as a “successful document”.
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