Putin and Kim sign mutual defense pact between Russia and North Korea

The leaders of North Korea and Russia signed an agreement on Wednesday that deepens their military cooperation to include a pledge of mutual defense to help each other in the event of an attack, with Kim Jong Un calling the new ties a “alliance”.

Kim spoke at a rare news conference following a meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang, announcing the signing of a “comprehensive strategic partnership” that the Russian leader said includes defensive elements.

“The comprehensive partnership agreement signed today provides, among other things, for mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties to this agreement,” said Putin, who was making his first visit to North Korea in 24 years.

Putin’s visit, which is likely to reshape decades of relations between Russia and North Korea at a time when both face international isolation, is being closely watched by Seoul and Washington, which have expressed concern over their growing military ties.

The reaction from China, North Korea’s main political and economic benefactor and an increasingly important ally for Moscow, was muted.

Kim said the pact will expand cooperation in the areas of politics, economics and defense, calling it “strictly peace-loving and defensive” in nature.

“Relations between our two countries have been elevated to the new top level of an alliance,” Kim said.

At the start of the summit, Kim expressed “unconditional support” for “all of Russia’s policies,” including “full support and firm alliance” for Putin’s war with Ukraine.

Putin said Moscow was fighting against the hegemonic and imperialist policy of the United States and its allies, Russian media reported.

“We greatly appreciate your consistent and unwavering support for Russian policy, including in the direction of Ukraine,” Putin said, according to Russian state news agency RIA, at the start of the talks.

Russia was hit by US-led Western sanctions after Putin launched a full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February 2022 in what Moscow called a “special military operation”.

Unwavering support

Putin, who had hosted Kim at a September summit in the Russian Far East that accelerated military cooperation between the two countries, received a lavish welcome in Pyongyang.

An honor guard, including mounted soldiers, and a large crowd of civilians gathered at Kim Il Sung Square, on the banks of the Taedong River, which runs through the capital. The scene included children holding balloons and giant portraits of the two leaders with national flags adorning the square’s main building.

Kim and Putin headed to Kumsusan Palace for summit talks.

Earlier, Kim said the increasingly complicated security environment around the world required stronger strategic dialogue with Russia.

“And I want to reaffirm that we will unconditionally and unwaveringly support all of Russia’s policies,” Kim told Putin.

North Korea “expresses full support and solidarity with the Russian government, army and people in carrying out a special military operation in Ukraine to protect sovereignty, security interests as well as territorial integrity,” he said.

Russia has used its friendly ties with North Korea to irritate Washington, while heavily sanctioned North Korea has won political support and promises of economic and trade support from Moscow.

The United States and its allies say they fear Russia could provide aid to North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, which are prohibited by UN Security Council resolutions, and have accused Pyongyang of supplying ballistic missiles and artillery shells that Russia used in its war in Ukraine.

Moscow and Pyongyang have denied the arms transfer.