The defense pact signed between Russia and North Korea on June 19, 2024, includes a provision for mutual military assistance in the event of war.
Shortly after the pact was signed, North Korea announced plans to send a military engineering unit to support Russian forces in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, with deployment expected within the next month.
This development follows a recent meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, marking Putin’s first visit to North Korea in nearly 25 years.
The military agreement stipulates that if either country is invaded, the other must provide immediate military and other support.
The military treaty states: “In the event that any one of the two sides is put in a state of war by an armed invasion from an individual state or several states, the other side shall provide military and other assistance with all means in its possession without delay.”
North Korea has already been a significant supplier of military aid to Russia, including artillery ammunition, rockets, and allegedly ballistic missiles, since the leaders’ meeting in Russia last September.
The Pentagon has expressed skepticism about the deployment of North Korean troops, suggesting they may become “cannon fodder” in the conflict. The U.S. is closely monitoring the deepening military ties between Russia and North Korea.
Some analysts believe that North Korea serves as a strategic bridge between Russia and China, facilitating indirect military equipment transfers from China to Russia without violating Western sanctions.
North Korea’s role in this partnership is seen as financially and militarily beneficial.
The U.S. National Security Council has criticized the coalition formed by Russia, North Korea, Iran, and Syria, contrasting it with the broader international support for Ukraine and the principles of the UN Charter.
