The Russian defense minister in a visit to Pyongyang
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has discussed with Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov ways to boost military ties that have grown between Pyongyang and Moscow since the invasion of Ukraine, the North’s official news agency reported Saturday.
The talks, held on Friday, focused on deepening the strategic partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang, particularly in the defense sector and the defense of sovereignty and security, according to the agency, which said the exchange of views resulted in satisfactory consensus.
Kim said Belousov’s visit would promote “friendly and mutual cooperation and development of relations between the two militaries,” the North’s official KCNA news agency reported.
The visit comes amid heightened tensions over Pyongyang’s deployment of troops to western Russia to help it in its war against Ukraine, and Western nations lifting a long-standing ban on using its missiles to strike targets inside Russia.
The West believes that about 10,000 North Korean troops have been sent to the Kursk region in western Russia near the Ukrainian border, something neither Moscow nor Pyongyang have confirmed.
Kim described the decision by Western powers to allow Kiev to strike Russia with missiles as direct military intervention in the conflict, according to the North’s official Korean Central News Agency.
“Russia’s decisive action to force the hostile forces to pay a price is an exercise of the right to self-defense, as it has emerged as an aggressive entity in the war against Russia,” he added.
Russia and North Korea have strengthened their military ties since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
North Korea and Russia are both under UN sanctions – the former over its nuclear weapons program and the latter over the conflict in Ukraine.
The two countries signed a strategic partnership treaty in June that was recently ratified, providing for mutual military assistance in the event of an attack, and cooperation in the face of Western sanctions.
Experts believe that in return for sending troops to help Russia, Kim is keen to gain advanced technology and combat experience for his forces.
The deployment of North Korean troops in Russia has prompted Seoul to deepen security ties with Kyiv.
Besides Kim, Belousov also held talks with his North Korean counterpart No Kwang Chol, and Belousov expressed readiness to continue expanding mutual cooperation in the complex international situation, according to the North’s official Korean Central News Agency.
