Mats Engman, Johanna Miskolczi Persson, and Irene Spennacchio
In recent years, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Russia have strengthened bilateral ties through several strategic agreements, which has seen a deepening of military, political, and economic cooperation. This new partnership drew global attention when Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-Un met for a summit in Russia in 2023. It is becoming increasingly obvious that the 2023 summit discussions included more than just the supply of military material to Russia.
The arms deal marked the beginning of an increasingly more ambitious military cooperation, with the DPRK providing artillery shells, missiles, and other military supplies to support Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. This deal has allowed Russia to make up for its military shortages and highlights Pyongyang’s key role in sustaining Russian military operations in Ukraine.
In June 2024, Putin reciprocated by visiting Pyongyang, culminating in the signing of the “DPRK-Russia Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”, which the North Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs hailed as an “unbreakable unity”.2 This agreement formalizes further military ties, particularly in expanding cooperation from simple arms supplies to a broader defensive alliance that could involve direct military support if one of them is attacked. The agreement was unanimously ratified by the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, on October 24, with the upper house expected to follow.
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